No Faith in Planning Ahead
by Skullful Babe
Summary: The rest of his life had been planned after the Uchiha Massacre by his own accord, so why did he feel the need to make a change? After all, it was only a wild chance Itachi would run into Naruto on her 3 year training trip, not that she knows. ItaFemNaru, ItaNaru, Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own Naruto, and I don't own the cover photo. Please enjoy the story! _

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**Chapter 1: The Flow**

Taking a slow sip of his tea, the order of dango before him had been cleared and replaced twice already.

Never seen any time recently outside of his organizations signature cloak and hat, the phrase laying low meant something different for each member in his organization.

His own partner was currently swinging between bars and gambling houses in the dark of night, either taking his winnings peacefully or leaving as a winner of at least a brutal brawl. It was fitting of the creature-looking man, however it was nowhere near what Itachi Uchiha would consider fun or productive.

Then again, he had successfully completed his last village-given mission and was in the middle of playing the waiting game for his personal mission to be completed. The world believed him to be a clan killing lunatic to be avoided, but he received no orders on what to do afterwards anyways. Matter of fact, joining the world's most dangerous organization however did convince the ones giving the final official orders that he couldn't be trusted no longer, which is just how he preferred it.

Visiting tea house after tea house, Itachi deeply enjoyed the standard layouts of wide open windows that revealed the hustle bustle of the surroundings. There would always be gossip following of what the latest was going on in the rest of the world, but far out in a spontaneous and tourist village in the Land of Lightning, the chatter he overheard was a little about everything.

Including a pair of particular visitors that had arrived just the day before. He had heard of the two before he could finally get a feel of their chakras, yet he didn't bother turning away and finding another rest spot. Instead, from the corner of his eyes he found himself fondly watching Jiraiya the Great Toad Sage get so belligerent before happy hour as Naruto Uzumaki begged him to train her already before throwing her hands up and stomping away.

Her eyes had passed right over him unknowingly as she entered the tea house and he mused to himself that she especially would probably never have considered him appearing out of nowhere dressed as a civilian. His much more common rice hat was placed on the booths seat beside him while his current light grey traveling cloak blended him into the countries surroundings of tall mountains and low hanging clouds. Hair untied from its usual low ponytail, Itachi couldn't remember the last time he activated his sharingan in this poor excuse of a disguise since he had left Kisame to destroy a gambling house that had given him a bad hand over a year ago.

Watching her plomp down in a small booth by herself as she began overlooking the menu handed to her, it had been two and a half years since the Uchiha had seen her on the orders to kidnap her. Dressed in a blue and orange jumpsuit with wild spiky hair all over the place, her girlish cheeks were the only thing that could've suggested that she was anything but a boy at the time. Now, however, Itachi almost couldn't tell that she had sewn the original jumpsuit pants into shorts that were becoming well worn into anyways. Her black shirt with the Uzumaki swirl was straining to be fitted in due to feminine growth with the now tattered jacket tied around her hips, and her originally wild hair was now tied into two pigtails. Straightening out the spikes with the length, the Uchiha silently appreciated the sight of her radiating happiness despite the obvious signs of having been staying in tents instead of hotels.

She was 12 when he had gone for her and with a glance at the hanging calendar behind the hosts pedestal, she was going to be 15 in two days.

The incoming growth spurt was probably more noticeable since he hadn't seen her in awhile, especially since she hadn't looked like she was past the age of 10 when he sabotaged her kidnapping due to her height and clothes, yet he could remember when she was 6 years old and was still pranking the academy teachers.

While this tea house didn't serve her favorite meal of ramen, her pouting as she gave in and ordered a multi-person entree platter gave him an idea.

Waiting until the server walked by him again with her order, the servers eyebrows must've reached his hairline at his request to her table while he prepared to pay and leave.

Three servings of tonjiru, a pork and vegetable miso soup. Served with a side of rice, it was the closest thing to ramen she would be able to get here.

It won't be long now that the Akatsuki would begin trying to gather the jinchuuriki again and a meal will never be enough to make it up to her, yet Itachi felt like he needed to acknowledge her somehow before he left the town tomorrow.

Hat back on as he made his way to his hotel through the civilian crowd, a soak in the hot spring as the sun set sounded perfect to the man.

"Hey! Excuse mee!" Tensing just enough as he quickened his pace, her chakra disappeared quickly in the crowd from the famed Uchiha.

Or so he thought, as the blonde almost appeared beside him and grabbed a hold of his sleeve. "I just wanted to say thank you! Why are you running away!?"

Sharingan activated once more, the genjutsu on his more noticeable features - the long bags underneath his eyes disappearing and his eye shape changing entirely - was quickly cast on her unknowingly.

He never thought she'd go after him just to say thank you, but then again - he should've remembered she was massively known as Konoha's Unpredictable Kunoichi.

"I apologize, I did not want to give you the wrong idea of what my intentions are as a man." Being upfront as she was of course training with the most known perverted man before, her cerulean eyes widened while her tanned cheeks quickly lit up as she blushed furiously.

"O-Ohhh, I didn't think you were.. trying to do _that_. Like, at all, ya know." Shaking her head wildly, sending the scent of mixed products hitting his nose, she released his sleeve. "Then what were your intentions, if you weren't trying to sleep with me anyways?"

Her bluntness made him blink as he felt the familiar feeling of being in awkward position return to him, years after he had forgotten it existed.

"I overheard your disappointment at the tea house having no ramen. Thought someone attractive as yourself would appreciate it, is all." Loosely gesturing her appearance, her blush spread to her ears as her eyes widened impossibly wide in surprise.

Itachi wasn't sure if he should regret giving her her first upfront compliment as the disbelief and amazement of someone saying that to her finally kicked in. Living out in tents with an old pervert did most likely shield her from anyone that wanted to see the exact details of her new feminine features, or it at least didn't give anyone enough time to figure out how oblivious she could be and how they could get around it for her to understand their intentions as well.

Her next bright wattage smile was twitching slightly with uncertainty and nerves as she pulled down the front of her shirt awkwardly, head tilting as she avoided his modified eyes. "Thanks, really. Uhh, so I'm going to be in the village for a week or two.. will I be able to see you around at all?"

Nodding gently, his reply made her perk up excitedly. "Possibly."

"Great! That tea house is the only place that has anything close to ramen here so you might see me there a lot now, but I hope I do see you around, ya know?"

He couldn't resist giving her a hint of a smile before she ran off, allowing him to continue on his way to his hotel.

He hadn't planned on doing any of this with this outcome, it was just naturally happening. Going with the flow, he bet Naruto would say. A concept that now that he truly thinks of it, he was unfamiliar with. A prodigical heir did not do anything without it having been planned in their schedule beforehand, a mass murderer would not have gotten away unless they had taken the time to plan it, and an Akatsuki member normally did not go off on their own or without a task in mind. Now was the exception, being only dangerous heavy-hitters left them with too much free time until the resources could be gathered again.

He also didn't have a burning desire for anyone to discover the true events that lead to the Uchiha Massacre so many years ago, and she would be the last person he'd want to know in the first place. He knew what kind of person she was turning into and she'd be furious on his behalf, going so far as to save him from his plans of suicide at the hands of his younger brother even. He had also signed off on the possibility of there being any love in his life, other than the one he had for his village and her people, and for Sasuke.

His original plans of leaving the next morning after breakfast made him wonder on if he'd still do so now. If he did, he would not see her again unless in an another attempt to kidnap her or if she'd ever be caught, and if he didn't leave just yet.. well, he didn't know.

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Posted 02/20/2019


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Missing Fireworks**

Intensely staring into the streams water with her brow furrowed, Naruto observed her appearance.

The sun was only peeking over the tree tops despite it only being 4:30 in the morning. Lighting Country messed with her perspective and time telling abilities due to their position on the tall mountains and odd clouds, but the drunken swaying man that was disrupting her attempts to train was surprised that she was already up at this hour.

To be fair, she was surprised that he was even still awake or _walking_.

Her slight sudden obsession with her appearance left the blonde wishing she had someone to properly ask questions to about what it meant to be a girl right now however.

She didn't know how to talk or spend time with boys outside of training, eating contests, and missions. Or cloud and bug watching, but there were only three guys that she knew that enjoyed it in the first place. Besides that though, she was never taught what true _dating_ was like. Surrounded by perverts, even being one herself a bit, did not help in that area since they weren't ever interested in relationships.

_'I'm not looking to date anyways, I mean,'_ She corrected herself, still finding training to be a better way to spend her time than caring about her appearance.

But no one else had ever enjoyed her boyish appearance upfront to pay for a meal without knowing her name. And he wasn't like her sensei's, only doing something nice for a girl to get into their bedroom.

Though there was a few similarities to some moody guys she knew based off his lack of expression, like Neji Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha, the guy had pale skin and a deep ash-like hair. It reminded her of the burnt out fire pits that had been soaked in water as she and the great pervert prepared to move on. His height was also surprising, but it's not as if she had a check list to find someone attractive.

She wasn't sure what he saw when he had saw her in the tea house, the last of her clothes becoming ragged from constant training and traveling, and it left her scratching at her head in frustration.

"Wut ya lookin' at anywayss, brat?" Slurring his words as he rubbed at his eyes furiously to see what she was focusing on, Naruto huffed.

"I dunno, ero-sannin. I'm staring at myself?"

"Whyyyyy," he practically whined at her.

"..I think I met someone?" She muttered, crossing her arms as she returned to looking into the stream.

Hearing him tilt over and onto his back, she didn't need to look to see the suspicion on his face. "Liiike someone ya wanna have sex with orrr your soul mate?" Teasingly dragging out soul mate, Naruto considered punching him to get him to sleep off the alcohol faster. "I-I ain't gon' judge ya if ya wanted to have like, a fling or two in the places we go between ya trainin'. In fact, I wan' yuh tooo! Make 'em connections, learn how ta' use some girl charm without da jutsu, get yer mind off dat Uchiha brat and go nuuuts! No one knows who yuh are, ain't no one gunna hold back 'cause of yer jailer or cause ya ah ninjaa of Konohaaa."

Silently considering his words, Naruto looked at the drunk Jiraiya in all his wisdom.

"Wow, you _can_ actually give good advice."

Bursting out in laughter at his indignant shout, her pleas of any real training advice went ignored as he passed out in his tent afterwards.

Returning to her unusual chakra control techniques that she had been practicing in the mornings, the blondes chest swelled with hope and anxiety at the idea of testing out dating with this stranger. She wasn't going to try some of the girly techniques she noticed her teammate Sakura used, which she was sure Jiraiya was referring to earlier, but she was going to do her best to have her first proper kiss.

When her stomach began growling for something else other than protein bars, she made the trek back to the tourist village. Different employees in the tea house at this time of day, but the rising hand of the guy from before made her smile brightly and wave with all the excitement and anxiety still inside her.

Practically bouncing to the opposite side of his booth, he politely slid the menu towards her.

Even though she was just going to get another few orders of the ramen-like soup, her blue eyes skimmed over the words as he sipped at his already arrived tea. "How are you today," he asked politely.

"Ehhh, I'm alright. Sort of stuck in my spot in my training right now so it's a huge downer, but I think I'm close to cracking some more techniques out of my sensei, ya know! What 'bout you?" He sent such a warm look over the rim of his tea cup and it left her stomach doing a flop.

"I'm doing well. The hotel I'm staying at has an indoors hot springs that is mostly empty in the early mornings, though I do end up missing out on their early breakfast buffets for it." Almost interrupted by their server, she learned that he must have a love for dango as he ordered a dozen platter with some plain fish fillets and onigiri. Grinning at the budging eyes of said server as she ordered three bowls of her soup though, the stranger's voice could've sent a shiver across her skin. "To be training underneath a sensei, are you a kunoichi then?"

"Uh huh! I wanna be my village's best someday and everyone keeps sayin' how great my sensei is, but he hasn't really taught me too much." Leaving out the little details out of habit now, his warm eyes left her almost squirming in her spot.

"That so? You must at least know your elemental affinity by now, don't you?"

"My what?"

"An elemental affinity. Every chakra user has at least one primary natural element that they can use towards their jutsus with more accuracy and skill, with a secondary developing as they age. You can test it with specialty cards I believe that are sold at a novelty shop around the corner."

Eyes practically sparkling, Naruto shot the man a thousand wattage grateful smile. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! But, how do you know this? What do you do?"

"I'm a mercenary for hire. I'm hired to retrieve and return items or individuals, especially. I have been taught and picked up quite a bit of information myself, and had extensive training with my fire and earth elements."

When the server returned to hand them her meals, the blonde began awkwardly chuckling into her soup with an itch at the back of her neck. "Heh, I just realized I don't even know your name.."

"My name is Kagami, and yours?"

Mouthing his name as a test while he watched her lips, she grinned widely and told him the truth that it was Naruto.

Having been about 8am when they both sat down, it was well past noon with several orders of tea, fruit mixes and small snacks ordered before either of them wanted to get up. The servers clearly didn't mind as they were still paying customers and Naruto didn't mind that she was putting off finding a chakra card to continue her training just yet. Even though she talked more than him, Kagami still held quite a bit of information about the countries she had been traveling across and their histories. It didn't feel like a lecture of any type that a teacher would give to her as she fought off sleep - if she asked, he'd tell.

And she loved that he didn't find it annoying or weird that there were gaps in her education. He enjoyed telling her just as much as she loved listening to his voice.

The warm and comfortable look never left his eyes, though they'd sometimes wander outside the window they sat next to to ogle the unique tourists during their equally comfortable silences.

Even when she shoved a whole miniature sandwich in her mouth, he looked a little amused at her puffed up whiskered cheeks while his usual humor was literal and almost dry.

She laughed when she realized she wanted to train with him, though it'd be to spend more time with him than to try and get him to teach her more practical things.

When they spoke about their goals outside of their dreams, the lack of ties to a shinobi village left him wishing and planning that his younger brother remained strong, safe, and clearheaded despite his difficult path. There weren't many details about him, other than that he had ran away to continue learning and Kagami let him since his mercenary job leaving him in no place to be listened to as the only family he had left. It reminded her of Sasuke, running away to try and gain power faster so he could kill the man responsible of the whole no-parent, or no-family left issue. Telling him - without too many details of course - of her wishes to find her own friend and bring him home since he had openly chose a more dangerous and darker path that would end only in his death, had led to Kagami resting his hand on top of her own when she riled herself up too much.

"I have no doubt that you can bring him home, Naruto."

When she learned that he had turned 19 that year and wondered if she still could get him a gift, believing that he deserved one and more from just being a honorable and nice person to her and the few that were close to him - like his little brother.

When she sighed solemnly at the height of the sun before telling him that she probably needs to check on her drunk sensei, his offer of coming with her to at least pick up a chakra card once again had her feeling anxious and excited. More time with someone who enjoyed her and wanted to see her make progress made her wonder on if she should've started opening up to the others she met on her training trip

"Hello clerk-san, may I ask what aisle you keep your elemental chakra cards in?" Bouncing over to aisle five with him following, Naruto was silently grateful for her paranoia of the wallet-thief back at her campsite when she saw the price.

"Is this all," the clerk asked as he rang up the one price. Nodding happily as nothing else had caught her eyes on the way to it, the chatter between the two men was blocked out as she daydreamed of having a cool element like lightning like her original sensei Kakashi Hatake until she caught the word festival.

"Where is this festival, exactly?" Kagami asked kindly as the clerk took a step to the side to reveal a large map of Lightning Country with the village they're in clearly marked with a 'You are here!'

Following his finger to another tourist village that Naruto could vaguely remember the name being mentioned on her way up a mountain a week ago, the village being a few kilometers inside the country borders. Listening to the man explain that the festival officially would begin tonight, it'd be in full swing by tomorrow, she sneaked a glance toward her new friend to find him already staring at her. The words of the daiymos two week-long birthday celebration went over her head as she smiled sheepishly at him, her ears feeling as though they were on fire.

Half a days run for low level shinobi, a day or so walk for civilians.

Barely remembering to pay and barely remembering the reason they had entered the shop, the two stepped out of the view of the stores wide windows and she couldn't control the words coming out.

"Would ya wanna go with me? We don't have to dress up if you don't like to, I just haven't really been to a festival with anyone before on a date and - " unable to stop herself from rambling as she found her face matching her ears, a far away look entered Kagami's eyes that left her stomach in knots.

"I would love to go with you, Naruto-chan. I cannot recall the last time I went to a festival, but are you sure you'd like this to be a date?" Cautious and concerned she could recognize, her slow and embarrassed nod left him smiling faintly at her. "Would this be your first date, then as well, or the first time you've gone to a festival on a date?"

"Ehh, my first date," the Uzumaki whispered loudly, red face buried in her hands as she avoided looking at him.

"...I believe this would be my first as well," he quietly admitted after a long pause, eyes slightly unfocused as he stared off into the distance.

"Really?" Full of disbelief, she almost missed his nod.

"Would you like to meet up at my hotel tomorrow morning before heading off?"

"Yeah! Sounds good, which hotel is it?"

"Mikua's Inn, at the end of Red street."

Smiling at him widely as he gave a small one back, she bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "Perfect! I'll see you then?"

"Hn, your chakra card."

Confused for half a second before she burst out laughing at forgetting, she held the small square up in between them. Furrowing her brow and staring intently at it while she sent her chakra into it, she dropped it in surprise.

Slit down the middle, Kagami's elegant brow raised. "How unique, you have wind. One of the rarer affinities out of the five. In some countries, like Fire, it's next to impossible to find a Wind User."

Picking up the two pieces as she stared amazed at it, she grinned. "Ya know, I like that. I'm actually from Fire. That means I'm one of the _almost_ impossible now, more.. unique."

More unique than a freak. Starting a mantra in her head, catching the subtle impressed look he gave as his eyes looked her up and down, a warm feeling pooled in her stomach.

"Now you can see if your sensei has any wind techniques to teach you, Naruto. If not, I believe you can create them."

It was one of the best compliments she could receive about being a ninja. Being creative and smart enough to create an elemental jutsu, of an equally rare elemental affinity, she allowed the two pieces to fall to the ground as she stepped forward. Grabbing his collar and pulling a little too hard, she felt him rest one hand on her waist and the other on her whiskered cheek.

There were no fireworks like Sakura or Ino said there would be.

Behind her eyelids, colors mixed and and she swear she built new ones right there. Chaste and sweet, her happy hum seemed to encourage the older teen.

Thumb sneaking to her chin, she felt her lips open as he deepened the kiss and she wasn't sure on how long they stood there, but her greedy hands ran up and down his chest before they reached around his waist, his firm body obvious underneath his long cloak. Attempting to direct him to the wall of the shop, to pin him he stole her idea and she felt the familiar warmth between her legs grow before they pulled apart.

Foreheads resting against each other, she relaxed entirely in his arms. Enjoying the quiet moment together, she felt empty when he let her go. Comforting herself with the plans for tomorrow, she parted with plans to get a proper yukata. Frequently touching her lips, it was the best _real_ first kiss she could've ever had. The fact that it was with someone that was only a stranger yesterday only added to the excitement, she admitted.

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_Posted: 02/21/2019_

_So what do you guys think of it so far? _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Do Not Disturb**

Kagami was the name of his mother's cousin, the father of his long dead best friend. It was the name he used when traveling alone and staying in hotel's undetected, and an easily believed name that was still somewhat common.

Yesterday had gone much different than he could have imagined.

It was possibly the most he had spoken in years to someone. Not just the most he had spoken, the most he had relaxed and opened up - though he was only telling half truths anyways, and he couldn't deny that he enjoyed it for several different reasons. The number one being the level of intimacy they shared before even remotely kissing, he could not remember a time to have felt so open since the massacre. The second being that he was openly sabotaging and disobeying Madara's and the Akatsuki's efforts by assisting with one of their several targets training.

Of all elements Naruto Uzumaki could've had as well, it was extremely rare and maybe borderline impossible to have wind and have been born in Fire Country, the only other ninja recently reported to have it being Asuma Sarutobi. Most offensive and least defensive, his own experience against some master Wind experts would leave anyone with lesser experience in fire and earth jutsus being blown out pathetically like candles or blown into dust.

It made her even more interesting than before. Child of his mother's dead friends, he could faintly the redhaired woman and blonde man excitedly planning future playdates between her and Sasuke with their hypothetical marriage, still becoming one of the few who had sneaked underneath his brother's skin and still have hope to show him that Orochimaru wasn't the path to revenge or happiness.

She was remarkable.

The biggest problem was Jiraiya. If the man came too close and was able to notice the genjutsu or recognize his chakra, much more than Naruto's trust would be broken. It would be beyond suspicious why a S-class criminal was assisting his organizations target in becoming stronger, and considering it would be the world's greatest spy master who'd be looking into it, he'd only find how deep the corruption ran in the Uchiha Clan and between the elderly advisers of the Hokage. The idea of that amount of exposure made the Uchiha feel uncomfortable.

It absolutely wasn't fair what had happened to the Uchiha Clan and what was going on between its "two" remaining members, but it'd be much more damaging for everyone to have the truth to come out now.

Having returned to his hotel early to dip into his funds, it was only a hour before he returned with a plain black yukata that had a light grey sash. Figuring he'd throw his travelers cloak over it as they made their way there, he found himself getting absorbed into a book to distract himself from the reality of what was going to happen tomorrow.

That a S-class criminal could be caught escorting Konoha's jinchuuriki around under a genjutsu by a coincidental shinobi just on vacation or on a mission.

It was nowhere near what he had imagined to happen if he remained one more day in this village to see her again, but he's beginning to think it's not a bad thing.

The agreed time to meet up in the hotel lobby was at 6:30am, yet the next morning his room's phone went off only four minutes before.

"Kagami-san, this is the receptionist Amika calling. I have a girl named Naruto insisting that she is waiting for you out in the lobby and won't leave until you come down. If you don't know this girl, I understand and can call security if you like?"

It was a common tone that he wasn't surprised to hear, the typical fangirl full of superiority over another for one reason or another. "Hn, yes. Could you please direct Naruto-chan to my room, Amika-san? If she is causing a problem with only waiting in the lobby, she can wait in my room then."

The shocked choking noises as the woman stuttered a cracked sentence that oozed disbelief and being heartbroken as the blonde's faint should of 'ha' followed, Itachi hung up the phone and gave a once around look of the room. His traveling scroll was left open at the moment on the floor between the bed and the window but he figured she wouldn't mind.

When he felt her radiating chakra come close once more, he straightened himself out as her strong knocking reached his ears.

His mouth felt dry when he drank her appearance.

He never took the time to imagine what she would look like in her own yukata.

Instead of being bundled tightly and traditionally, the dyed garment that reminded him so much of fire had the collar lazily and almost inappropriately widened to tease the world with her tanned and usually hidden skin. There was no cleavage showing, only the detail of her collar bones could be mistaken as suggestive. A black and wide sash was tied around her waist, only giving into her curves and making the false flames of her yukata stick become almost brighter.

Her usual long pigtails were also missing, her hair was now formed into some form of braided yet messy bun that allowed golden strands to loop down and tickle her exposed skin. Though she had a black traveling cloak in her arms that matched the sash, he was almost surprised that with the amount of subtle effort put into her outfit, that she was not also wearing make up like other women would for this event.

Though Itachi wasn't one to show his emotions due to the direction of his life, he has experienced attraction before and would more than gladly admit that he was attracted to the kunoichi before him.

Still not wearing his sandals or cloak, he invited the nervous girl in silently and closed the door behind her gently. "Kagami.. you look, you look _amazing_." Cheeks stained red as she forced the words out, her eyes never left his form.

"Thank you, Naruto-chan. I must admit, you look incredibly beautiful yourself." Walking past her slowly towards the chair in the far corner that his sandals and cloak sat next to or on, the shades to the view of the village and mountains he had almost had her in another trance. Before he was able to sit down, the edge of the large scroll caught her foot and she had almost ungracefully went tumbling down on top of it.

Reaching out and steadying her just in time, her cloak fell out of her arms.

Reaching down at the same time, he beat her and picked it up, only to hear something else fall.

The strangled noise she made had him freeze as she scrambled to try and hide it.

_Samurai Condoms(TM)_

"It's not what you think! I told my sensei that I was gettin' some training advice from you 'cause he's doing a terrible job at it and mentioned that we were gonna go on a date to that festival so he took me shopping and kept arguing with the lady that's supposed to help girls find their outfits and his opinions on what I should wear was so friggin terrible that we made a deal that I'd get this and he'd get to sneak me condoms but I was going to leave them at the campsite! But he made this big deal and I couldn't leave them there and the receptionist wouldn't tell me where the trashcan was when I was waiting for you and then she called you 'cause she didn't believe me and I didn't see one on my way up and -"

Face burning red as she practically shouted her ramblings while she stared holes into the carpet, if his partner Kisame had known how blunt Itachi could truly be, he was pretty sure that he'd never ease up on this teasing.

"I don't think of you any less." He interrupted her gently as in her embarrassment, she didn't try to hide the condoms anymore. "We can go at any pace you're comfortable with, Naruto-chan."

"Don't say that. I'm a pervert, ya know."

"What do you mean?"

"I use to spy on bath houses, using a jutsu to get in. I use to read porno mags, but I don't read that stupid Icha Icha, I promise! I've never been in a relationship before, or had sex. At first I thought I just wanted to kiss you, a proper one 'cause the first one - just, ugh, don't worry! But then you were so amazin' so I wanted to go on a real name, but now -" Unpredictable was almost her middle name, and the sudden confident and daring look she gave him as she looked in his eyes head on, he considered taking on the challenge she was issuing. "Now, I think I want a little more."

Setting her cloak on top of his on the chair, he filled the gap between the two of them. Left hand covering hers that was holding onto the box, his right one went for her cheek as he leaned in closely, never losing eye contact. Head tilted back while she looked up at him, "Do you mean it?" Itachi asked her lowly.

Her small pink tongue licked her lips before she completely closed the gap between them.

They never made it to the festival.

Pulling apart her clothes like she was the greatest present he ever received, his sharingan was activated when he knew she wouldn't notice anything to memorize each detail, copying them to his memory forever.

She begged for him to move faster with each action, only to be silenced by the slow pleasure. Learning each curve of her body and how she liked to be touched, her hands became greedy once more and never stopped doing the same for him. Accidentally leaving deep marks across his back and arms, he was sure to leave his own across her chest and neck.

Each time one got close, they tried something new. A new position, a new technique to go down on one another.

He loved every moment and with her heart on her sleeve, he knew she did too.

He had attempted to have sex with random women of course, though it never felt right. Always ending before he got too far with them, yet he knew with Naruto, he'd happily go for hours. The noises she made, the expressions she formed, the way her body twisted under him and the way she could take in control when she climbed on top.

When they were laying next to each other, the faint memory of his mother discussing the hypothetical future marriage between Sasuke and Naruto made him smirk.

Being caught and asked what he was thinking about, he was completely honest.

"I am glad to have you all to myself right now."

Each time they tried to leave for the festival, there was a reason they couldn't get past the door. The collar of her yukata needed to be adjusted, only for them to end up in bed. There was a knot in his hair, she needed to brush it out in the shower.

Ordering room service, they learned her yukata formed a small tear in the breast. Solution being to give her one of his shirts for her to let the staff inside, he caught the warm looks she gave him and the way she hugged herself in it when she thought he couldn't see. The receptionist from earlier having been said staff however, the blonde's realization was entertaining at what was obvious left him smirking in an odd satisfaction. She did not rub it into the woman's face, only shrugged it off with an unapologetic and brilliant smile in the face of jealousy. It did remind him to put the Do Not Disturb sign up around the handle afterwards, at least.

Talking about everything from reading, movies they've heard about in theaters, shinobi celebrities they've met or fought against, Itachi adored the life that the Uzumaki brought. She did not only brighten the room with her positive energy and conversations, she was excited about everything or simply made it much funner than it was. The mundane rolling up his scroll, of brushing their hair, of brushing her teeth, it had been so long since he enjoyed anything this much.

Though he felt more alive than he had in his years of having become a missing nin, the feeling of decay as he never explored relationships or much of anything outside of his organization and of his illness destroying his body, it was all only pushed back into the back of his mind. When the reminder came forth once again, Naruto was showing off her very gruesome chakra control technique of balancing 10 kunais point down on all her fingers as she balanced on one leg - the other jutted out and slowly moving in odd directions to practice keeping her focus. Only in her small bra and a pair of his pants, hair in lopsided pigtails as her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth, her seal had revealed itself.

The satisfaction that he was sabotaging the Akatsuki and Madara's efforts as much as he could in his own way by giving training hints to the jinchuuriki he was supposed to be hunting was overwhelming, the need for her to protect herself better than what Jiraiya was teaching her led him to giving her a wind jutsu. The sparkles in her eyes as she immediately began reading, he wondered on if it was strange of him to enjoy watching her do so.

If she ever found about his real identity, her trust would be crushed and the suspicion of his intentions with all the training tips would expose more information than he was comfortable. Especially revealing it to anyone connected to a spy master, but it was obviously too late to turn back now.

Pulling her to sit down on his lap, he snaked his arms around her waist and waited for her to demand to practice the jutsu.

* * *

_Posted: 02/24/2019_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: One for the Road**

In between the hotel room where she'd stick her tongue out at the receptionist each time she caught her sending filthy looks, the cafe, and their makeshift training grounds, each day felt like a year had passed too suddenly. So much had happened between them, how else could it have been anything less than a year?

Her time with Kagami was a dream she never knew she had already coming true. Of course, she still wanted to become Hokage, but she imagined having a partner by her side - though it was blank on who it'd be. Until now, training hard on the jutsu he had gifted her, called Wind Waves, just change the village into Konoha and it'd be 100 percent perfect. She was beginning to find it a little understandable when Sakura and Ino gushed over their future weddings.

Taking solace in it still feeling ridiculous when she pictured it, it was sweet when he held her hand.

When he poked her forehead, with either kisses or his fingers.

Bringing her breakfast, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her shoulder.

Kissing her when she succeeded in a new technique he was showing her.

Playing with her hair as he ran his other hand across her body, eyes only on her.

Spending most days by his side instead of following Jiraiya around, his drunk winks and questions for details when they both came back late left her violently knocking him out and leaving him where sunrise will leave a burn if he didn't sleep it off within the next four hours.

Pouring her heart out to Kagami about her childhood, of loneliness and craving for any kind of attention, he poured his own out of high expectations and double edged meanings with everyone. "Well if I knew you where I was from, I woulda been upfront with you if you paid attention to me." She told him, his soft smile making him beam as he said he knew. Barely catching the pained look, she wondered if he was wishing he could turn back time.

One night when they were laying underneath the stars, covered in sweat from two activities that had nothing to do with each other, the cool air wept over them. Holding him closer before they agreed to put their clothes back on, he reaching into his back pocket and presented a book. "Asuma: The Master of Kindness is about a young child with no chakra, when his father and brother had it. Instead he had to use his words to bring peace, in a time when no one wanted to listen. It made me think of you, Naruto-chan."

"I'm not much of a book reader, to be honest.."

"That's okay. I wouldn't mind reading it once more," he said before he settled at the base of a rock. Grabbing the blanket they had just been on top of and throwing it over them both, she curled up under his arm as he began reading aloud.

He was always there when she fell asleep with, never straying far. When she woke up again with the moon lighting the clearing, Kagami was going through katas. Swearing he looked familiar to someone else, her head felt as though it was itching as she racked through to try and figure it out.

When she left her tent one morning, just over two weeks of having entered the village, her stomach dropped at the familiar hawk circling the sky.

Waking up her teacher and deciphering the small scroll attached to its leg together, an unfamiliar bitter taste filled her mouth as she almost demanded to wait until sunset to leave and begin their requested investigation. He only agreed to continue sleeping off his hangover.

One of his contacts deep in the Land of Earth believed he had found a recently abandoned lab of Orochimaru, full of what the contact believed to be different village secrets. Stolen DNA, jutsus from the Forbidden Scroll, and since the contact had discovered and investigated the lab, she was being followed.

The rest of the letter had been smeared in a hurry, the final eligible code to decipher saying they were going to the Konoha haven for protection.

It made sense, it was for a morally correct reason, and yet Naruto still felt terrible for leaving Kagami so soon.

Finding him in his hotel room, her expression made him pause as she pulled him into her arms, her heavy sigh made him pull back enough to look at her face.

"Me and my sensei - we have to leave by sunset."

He didn't ask why, only hold her closer to his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, they laid in bed one last time together. Taking advantage of the silence, she daydreamed of bringing him to her village. Of getting an apartment together, or maybe a house. Of getting married, of having several children with ashy black hair and her blue eyes. Of becoming Hokage and rescuing him from enemy shinobi,

"What are you thinking of?" He murmured into her ear, sending chills down her spine.

"Of what we can do in the future," she answered honestly. Craning her neck to see his expression, his eyes were closed and he was frowning.

"If only," just barely reached her ears off before he sat up. Untangling himself from her arms, she watched him walk over to his long traveling scroll.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked. Pulling out a small sheet of paper, he joined her on the bed once more. Looking over his shoulder as he began drawing up a seal with a mix of ink and his blood, she could only recognize it as a type of tracker. "Didn't know you knew how to do sealing," she commented, a little impressed.

"Not a master, but I know enough," he responded before pausing. "Did you want to keep in contact?"

"Yes!" Shouting it loudly in his ear that he rose an eyebrow in her direction, she smacked him with a pillow. "What kinda stupid question is that?"

"I'm unsure if you have your own contract, however mine will follow tracker signals made of my blood," gifting the paper to her as it continued he dried, she nodded along in understanding. "Once activated, my crows will come and pick up or drop off letters we write to one another."

Feeling her eyes burn as tears gathered, she smiled in appreciation. Naruto knew she wouldn't have thought of that, so flinging her arms around his shoulders and planting several kisses across his cheeks, she hid her face in his shoulder.

Making their way after to the tea house once again, ordering several platters of everything they had at least once before and enjoyed. Trying to choose lighter topics to talk about, she felt like pressure sat on her shoulders during the silences until she gave in.

"Kagami, I.. I don't want to go. Or at least, I wish you could come with. It's sorta unfair, but, I don't really know what to say, ya know?" Trying to gather her thoughts, they now sat on the same side of their booth. Leaning onto his shoulder to avoid looking at his face, she attempted to stop herself from pouting. "Just over two weeks.. and it's felt like forever. I can see my life without you before, but I can't now. I have so much to thank you for, and I don't know how to!"

Feeling his gently tanned hand begin caressing her cheek, he turned towards her and gave his signature gentle half smile that she's come to notice when he was feeling down but trying to hide it. "I believe I agree, it being slightly unfair. We have our professions and while I have considered myself to be on vacation, it would be extremely difficult for me as well to leave you behind like you have been ordered to. Before I had met you, I put myself in the position of being alone in the point of view to protect everyone I could care for. Now, I don't want you to go so I could protect you."

Looking out the window, he sighed. "If you want to thank me, then remain safe."

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, she bobbed her head. Afraid to speak in case it became evident she was choked up, every moment spent together was of them touching in some form.

When they went to their makeshift training ground one last time, rolling around with half-assed techniques and spars that ended in kissing and groping in desperation.

When they visited look out, overlooking the clouds that floated around the mountains surrounding them, discussing their failed attempts at the first date.

Holding Kagami's hand as he walked to her the edge of the village, Jiraiya was only just beginning to leave the thin forest and step on the path, just a blur of colors from how far he was. Watching him take the time to adjust his bag, obviously watching from afar and giving her time to say bye.

Squeezing one last time before she let go, Naruto felt her eyes grow hot again.

It was him who gripped the edge of her shirt and pulled her close one last time. The kiss was deep and her desperation of wanting to stay or him to come with was strong. Hands sliding up to set on her cheeks, he was the one who pulled back. Opening her eyes to get a long look at him once more, he rested his forehead against hers once more.

Lifting a hand and wiping away the only tear she'd let escape, he tapped her forehead once more. "Be safe, Naruto-chan."

"You too, Kagami. I - I wanted you to have this," shoving her personalized shuriken into his hands, the set rattling among their specialized box as he quickly observed the detail among them. Believing every great shinobi should have a personalized weapon, her own weren't going that well, but she could only imagine him using the best. With thin and elegant designs carved into the high grade material, they could be for decoration or useful in a battle. It made the older teen smile before he set it on the ground for a moment.

"Thank you, I'll hold onto them forever. I didn't get you anything but," holding a hand out when she tried to object, he undid his necklace. Three circles spread out evenly, the rope was made of specialized material meant to withstand extreme heat. Gently grabbing her wrist and wrapping it around twice before doing it up, he kissed the back of her hand before releasing the appendage. "Now we can always remember each other."

"I'm going to miss you, so much."

"..I already miss you."

Hearing Jiraiya shout for her, too far to hear the words properly, she took a shaky breath. "I'll see you soon, I promise."

Turning around at his sad smile, she forced herself to take each step, looking back every few steps. The sight of him staring after her at the gates was ingrained into her memory.

* * *

Posted: 03/03/2019


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: In the End**

_Dear Naruto,_

_I hope this letter reaches you successfully, as I must admit I have found myself missing your presence immensely. Four days was not and may never be enough. I will never regret letting you go to complete your goals though and I hope my contribution to your training has been enough to encourage your sensei to begin teaching you properly._

_Sincerely,_

_Kagami_

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_I miss you too, a lot. Maybe we will either run into each other again or we can plan meeting up in another village before I go back home for awhile. Or maybe you can come see me in my village?_

_You showing me about my wind element did get my teacher's attention and I even finished reading that book you gave me already. You're right that I'd like it, even though I don't like reading normally anyways. A lot of Asuma's techniques gave me some pretty awesome ideas for stuff that I wanna show you someday, since you're the one who showed me it!_

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Naruto,_

_Being a missionary makes it difficult to enter and stay in Shinobi ran villages unfortunately, as I am a shinobi's competition when it comes to being hired._

_You are unpredictable however, I can only imagine what your creative mind has came up with for the element known to be most difficult to master. I have found a technique that has reminded me of you quite a bit. It's called the "Gale Palm" where the user can send a blast of wind through their hand __as far as their chakra will allow. I believe it requires a bit of form manipulation for you to transform it into something else, but I believe you can learn it quickly. _

_Sincerely,_

_Kagami _

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_I'm returning home soon! I've been practicing that jutsu you gave me, I think I'm close to mastering it! Wish ya could see_

_My sensei also gave me a cool new jumpsuit too, since mine was fallin apart. Its all orange but with some black instead of blue like on my old one that you saw me fix up. But we could still always meet in one of the villages outside of mine, where they don't care bout whether you're a shinobi or mercenary or just a traveler._

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Naruto,_

_I have an extended mission to find a missing person at the moment, I wish I could see you. I have visited several villages and the only thing that motivates me to keep searching is that I would not mind bringing you to these villages for vacation. I know we never made it to the festival, which I only regret as we could not go on a traditional date. _

_I included a scroll I have found of how several great kunoichi incorporated dancing into their taijutsu. I thought of you and how you could make your style confusing for your enemies. I wish I could assist more in keeping you safe, since your profession is highly dangerous._

_Sincerely, _

_Kagami_

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_Thank you so much for the scroll, its so cool! I watched a few Wind Country women dance their local traditional thing just earlier to see what you mean and thats what Im gonna do!_

_Sorry I responded so late, I returned to my village and there was an emergency with one of my friends. I wasn't even back for a whole day before being sent all the way to Wind Country to save him! We were in the same spot as kids, ya know, not really liked in our villages, yet he was able to become the Kage of his village._

_I dunno, it made me realize how.. easy it can be for someone to lose their life though. Even when I got my ass kicked, I never really knew or cared how close I was to dying cause I thought I was always gonna make it. But a woman gave up her entire life for him to live when my teammates were either going to die of being poisoned or being blown to pieces. It made me realize that maybe I should slow down with some things, always say bye to my friends before I leave for a mission ya know, go and see them more often._

_We can meet half way in a village together from whatever country you're in since I'mma be in Wind for a little longer, I got a week saved up for vacation anyways, or if I got another mission going super far away we can meet up there or before it's done? I mean it when I say I miss you, believe it Kagami!_

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Naruto,_

_I'm glad to hear your friend is okay and was able to succeed in his dream._

_I understand what you mean by feeling as if you were invincible and unable to be truly harmed. Barely scraping by, thinking nothing could ever be worse from what you had already experienced besides death itself. Every goodbye may be the last in the life of a shinobi and I'd hate for ours to have been in that hotel. I'll be in Rain Country though, I don't believe it's the best place for any village-aligned shinobi to visit from all that I have seen._

_Until we can meet again, I cannot wait to see all that you have learned. _

_Sincerely, _

_Kagami_

* * *

_Dear Kagami, _

_I was able to find a cool sensei with the wind affinity! And another guy, whos a massive dick, with wind element! The sensei is a sensei of two of my friends, but hes happy to help us out! He can send his kunai right through ROCKS with his chakra, and Im figuring it out still but holy shit its so cool! Stay safe in Rain country, I hope you'll be heading to Fire soon. I still have my vacation days that I want to spend on you. _

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Naruto, _

_You seem to have amazing luck to find such trained and helpful teachers. I never knew wind element could be used as such, that sensei must be extremely powerful. You will become even stronger and I am honestly quite proud of you. Surviving as long as you have with the bare minimum, I think of all that you have dealt with and how you must have thought or fought yourself through it as motivation to get me through these difficult times. I am doing my best to stay safe and hidden, there appears to be a jutsu casted to monitor the citizens here, please do not attempt to visit. _

_Sincerely, _

_Kagami_

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_I finally figured out this one thing thats been bothering me for awhile. Our letters are so far apart that even my sensei thinks that you or me shoulda found someone else to try and suck face with but I dunno. I feel like I can't replace you. I asked one of my girly friends about why and she only thinks its cause you took my virginity but I don't think so ya know? But it's how she feels to that one friend of mine that ran away a few years ago, even though she never kissed or had sex with him. it's worse now, since we got a new teammate in his spot now too now._

_It got really awkward and weird when we actually found that missing friend. He's gotten stronger but he still won't come back to the village with us, still wanting to go kill the guy that killed his family. But if he came back with us, he won't have to hunt him alone or have a creepy pedo-guy trying to use his body, ya know the guy Orochimaru? That guy. Yeah. Super bad news for him, since we think time is up on being able to save him from the guy in the first place._

_But ya know, there's only a few times I wish I could go back in time to change the past. The first would be to save my friend before he ran away and to have found you sooner. I don't think I can replace either of you, and just want you back near me._

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_That wind sensei helped me complete the jutsu I made like Asuma had! With the help of another sensei obviously, not the one who took me on the trip, but this other one is helping me complete a jutsu my idol started! Otherwise stuff has been boring and I've been catching up with my friends. I missed so much stuff thats been going on in their lives, and one of my lazy ass friends actually has a girlfriend that lives 3 days away in another village. It seems to work for them.. _

_I'm sorry if that last letter was a little too weird for you, since you still haven't replied. I still miss you ya know._

_\- Naruto_

* * *

_Dear Kagami,_

_So much has been happening right now, but I just want to let you know it all. I know you're still getting my letters or else your crows wouldn't be pickin them up to the seal or they woulda been returned._

_I've completed the two jutsus. Had to use them against this old asshole that helped killed my lazy friends own sensei, the guy who taught me some of that wind training to get them done. I think you'd be proud too if you could see them in action, but I just wish you'd reply again._

_Its been making me feel guilty, 'cause I left out a lot of stuff about myself that would've scared you away. If it wasn't for me getting help against this guy, I wouldn't have lived. It made a lot of things feel a lot more realer now and if you've heard of them, you'll probably know exactly what I am if you've ever been to Suna or Konoha now._

_The Akatsuki are dangerous, more dangerous than Orochimaru ever was when he was alive._

_My friend ended up killing that snake bastard and getting away. Has been gathering a ton of people to hunt down the guy he plans on killing, and it hurts that he still hasn't come back to the village to get us to help. We'd do it no problem, since it would be justice for him and Konoha. Itachi Uchiha is a dangerous international criminal, and my friend Sasuke is finally going to fight him. The times I've seen Itachi, he's just a monster. I hope you've never run into him, because even though I wanna believe Sasuke is strong enough, I'm still not sure he's gonna survive against him._

_We've been getting a big team together to go hunt Itachi down though. If we force him to come with us to the village, Sasuke will follow and return on his own. We're running out of time._

_I hope you've been doin okay though, I've done a lot of thinking and maybe this will be my last letter if you don't respond. I'm not one to give up, but I think I love you. If you don't love me back, then that'll be okay. I need to focus on my training to bring my friend back and to keep myself safe against the Akatsuki._

_Love,_

_Naruto_

* * *

Gently folding the letter back closed, Itachi could not count the amount of times he had the last paragraph.

_But I think I love you._

He didn't mean for her to catch feelings for him and to lead her on. He didn't mean to catch feelings himself for her, but the dried blood in the palm of his hand reminded him that he could never be enough for her. Already dying of his illness, the night of the massacre had signed his own death sentence to be completed by his younger brother.

Both her and the world viewed him as a monster, and would never see him as the one who prevented a civil war inside Konoha by choosing the village and brother over his family.

Even if there was another way for his family to have backed down from the d'coup where he wouldn't be painted as a S-class missing nin, his illness would've killed him before they could've even discussed getting married or how many children they could've had together. He had accepted that it was a last resort with Danzo making threats from the shadows, but the slight irritation at how suddenly unfair it is only showed how much the Kyuubi Jinchuurki had rubbed off on him.

Walking slowly as he felt her familiar radiant chakra come to him, her angry shout of hey made him slowly turn and observe her.

Almost a year since he had seen her, she was wearing the new jumpsuit she mentioned Jiraiya had gifted her as her pigtails were clearly much longer than before.

He had cut all ties so that his death would not be as sad, so no one could manipulate him or those he truly cared for.

His activated sharingan allowed him to memorize her furious appearance, even as he caught her into the Tsukuyomi. He had decided long ago that Shisui's eye would best be safe with her, when the news of her being dragged home with a chidori shaped hole from the Sasuke retrieval mission after he made a run for it. Despite almost dying, she still announced to everyone who'd listen that she wanted and will save him. However after their time in Lightning Country together had him editing the seal to store his eye.

He wanted to go back to that hotel room and never leave it. Lay in bed all day with her with the future and the twisted reality far away, unable to touch them even as they walked to the Tea House with empty stomachs. He wanted to change his mind and for all the half-truths he gave under the name Kagami to be properly true, so he could retire and return to Konoha with her.

Itachi had considered writing one last letter to her, telling her everything she could've ever wanted to know about the Akatsuki members and their techniques. That he was going to miss her and everything he wished could've happened between them.

Like Sasuke though, it was better for them both to hold onto the illusion he had given them.

That to her, he was Kagami who she only met by chance because he thought she was beautiful despite her complaints about no ramen. A chakra using missionary with no ties to any village that never could go on a date and that allowed her to go judgement free with her exploring. That only stopped responding to her letters for no reason, to never be known as anything more than the guy she had lost her virginity to in a hotel in the middle of nowhere.

If she knew who he was the whole time, she'd be more than angry.

She'd be far beyond hurt and that was never his intention.

"What was that?" Laying on the ground in reality, shaking as Shisui's eye entered her system and left her feeling weak for the moment, he wore a small smile she was too distracted to see. "You're after me, aren't you!?" Shouting at him, she finally met his eyes once more, unafraid. "Then let's settle this here, right now!"

"..I'll be going now."

It was the only words he could say to her without giving too much else away.

In a room that may end up being his tomb if it wasn't destroyed in the upcoming battle, Itachi Uchiha waited on the mock throne as he silently began his proper goodbyes that would never be heard.

* * *

Posted: 03/03/2019


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Not Going to Die**

Feeling the odd tremor wreck through her body as Naruto used her sensei for support, the sound of the soft footsteps on the tree branches before them abruptly paused. Standing just before the tree tops broke apart from the sheer destruction done, she could feel the strong chakra in the air with the smell of blood.

Reaching the new edge of this forest, Naruto felt her jaw drop in relief and hope.

"That's Susanoo, technique of the Mangekyou Sharingan. Sasuke and Itachi must still be battling it out," the cyclops explained to the group.

"N-not for l-long," Hinata Hyuuga spoke quietly. Doujutsu activated as she stared in the direction of the two chakra giants, she slowly shook her head. "Their ch-chakra l-levels are ex-extremely l-low. B-based on t-the blood that w-we c-can smell i-in t-the air a-a-alone, when t-they p-pass out from ch-chakra exhaustion, t-they'll both quickly d-d-die of b-blood l-loss if n-no one h-heals t-them."

"Sakura -" Kakashi began.

"Already on it." Staring determined at the battle, Naruto's pink haired teammate had her fingers ready to perform the mystic technique that would heal their wounds. Silently wishing she could do more than be weakened by some missing nin's 'power', she tried to shove those feelings deep down.

The plan was to bring Sasuke back and to make him stay now that one part of his life goal was completed. Itachi didn't have to live if Sakura couldn't get to him in time, but if he lived then they could always bring him back for more information about the Akatsuki.

Shifting her weight off her sensei now that her stomach stopped churning, Naruto watched a inhumane creature that reminded her so much of Sasuke's curse mark shoot itself towards the massive chakra creature - only for the screams of pain to reach the groups ears as that creature fell completely untouched. Listening for Hinata's approval to go on ahead, Susanoo slowly eased itself forward only to begin coming undone. Holding her breath, the Uzumaki clenched her fists and felt a nervous shudder wreck her body.

"Now," the usually meek Hyuuga demanded.

Shooting to the brothers with everyone, the blonde's eyes only focused on the two, witnessing the taller bloody figure touch her best friend and rival's forehead, his body clearly shaking from their distance as he collapsed.

Staring off into space as his own knees shook, the blonde kicked off with a chakra jump only to catch Sasuke's body in time before it hit the ground. Sakura only took a few more seconds longer than her to begin the signature medical technique that almost completely coated their missing teammates body.

Ignoring Yamato, Kakashi, and Sai observing and raiding Itachi's own body and injuries, Yamato's tone caught everyone's attention, full of questions with a demanding edge of urgency.

"Don't waste all your chakra healing Sasuke, stabilize him and then come here."

"But Yamato-taichou!"

Kakashi answered her and it left Naruto sick to her stomach once more, though this time it wasn't an after effect of the older Uchiha. "Sasuke didn't land a killing blow. He's been dying an illness, I'm guessing for years." In his gloved hand, the cyclops closely observed an orange pill bottle.

Her medic teammate quickly took a glance at the label of the bottle before her expression furrowed into a conflicting emotion as she began quickly healing the criminal. Explaining to the group slowly while keeping focus, the Uzumaki was only able to tighten her hold on the passed out brother in her arms. "That's a highly illegal medicine, forbidden in a majority of the elemental countries. It forces the takers body to consume chakra at a constant pace to temporarily speed up the regeneration process of deteriorating cells, a common side effect being enlarged blood vessels that can cause aneurysms." Only the blood drying remained as a majority of his wounds were healed, yet small glowing hands never stopped glowing. "Based on his diagnosis, I think he may have been suffering from microscopic polyangiitis, where his blood vessels are becoming too narrow from inflammation. He has been taking these pills for years, as his chakra network is automatically consuming any his body tries to naturally produce right now."

Watching the med-nin pull out a pack of chakra pills, she easily crunched it into powder and with her water canteen, forced him to consume it.

"So what, he's been keeping himself alive for years just to die by this bastard's hand?" Kiba asked, face screwed up into confusion.

"Best bet right now, yes." Kakashi confirmed quietly.

It was a suicide, Naruto realized with unsettling horror. She couldn't imagine or figure out a reason on why, but the silent looks and nods between her two squad leaders left her feeling numb.

It was immediately decided that one group would return to Konoha with Sasuke to be taken care of properly and detained so he couldn't run off once again. The second group would escort Itachi to Konoha's hidden high-risked prison faculty that was more than use to taking care of injured inmates. The name rang a bell, before the Uzumaki remembered that it was where Orochimaru's spies and experimented on lackey's were typically sent to, like Mizuki.

Having never been there, only knowing the experiments doctors will attempt to return those originally innocent people back to normal brought chills down her spine. Broken out of once, security had amped to insane measures into one of Konoha's worse.

Nobody had a say on what the two new groups were and nobody really disagreed.

Of the original eight man squad, the original Team 8 with Naruto would escort Sasuke to the village. Using Shino's special bugs to keep Sasuke's chakra drained, Hinata on the lookout for anyone that may be following or watching, Kiba's companion Akamaru would be carrying Sasuke. Naruto was to be sent away from the direction of any Akatsuki members, as they normally traveled in pairs and may take the chance to take the Kyuubi if she came along. She didn't mind the team splitting up, it only meant she'd get to be there to prevent her rival from running away again once he woke up.

Sai's massive ink birds would be able to transport the second group to the prison high in the air, Sakura coming to keep the criminal stable, Kakashi and Yamato going to keep the group safe from any Akatsuki members that wanted their comrade back. Giving Sakura and Kakashi a relieved look though, the jinchuurki couldn't help but feel pleased that she finally accomplished the goal of bringing her wayward teammate back, it being against his will not being taken into account of course.

The now not-so-hidden fortress of the Uchiha Clan wasn't too far of a run from the village as within two hours they were nodding to the flabbergasted gate guards who waved them in.

Word spread quickly and it was the first time Naruto had ever seen the ANBU base. She also hoped it'd be the last time, even though she knew it wouldn't be as Sasuke was quickly arranged to get his own specified cell.

Tsunade though, her favorite granny and the Fifth Hokage, had dropped everything and gave her own check up of the young man.

"His curse mark from Orochimaru, it's gone." She announced full of shock.

"What?"

Standing in the doorway with interrogator Anko Mitarashi as silent seal masters and ANBU med-nin's prepared the makeshift hospital room, it was the snake technique mistress that hissed in surprise. Speaking up, she felt the pressure under Anko's glare.

"There was this technique Itachi was using.. Susanoo? When Sasuke was using the seal, Itachi did something that made him scream and sent him flying.." Uncertain as the two other women stared at her, the Hokage only nodded stiffly.

"You said Kakashi and the rest took him to Yangshun Prison?"

"Uh huh."

"Good. Anko, you and I will personally interrogating Sasuke. I will handle Itachi alone, however. Naruto, you'll be able to visit Sasuke as soon as he wakes up, but only that one visit until we figure everything else out." Holding a hand up in preparation for an expected interruption, her honey brown eyes became sharp sickles made of that honey. "He's still a missing ninja who conspired with one of our most dangerous enemies, but at least he killed him as well. If he's cooperative or if we think he might cooperate more with you, we may be able to positively spin a lot of this around to keep him inside the village, though he may not be apart of Team Kakashi for awhile."

She couldn't complain at that, but with a tilt of her pigtails, she couldn't help but ask.

"What will you do about Itachi?"

With a heavy sigh, the last Senju looked away from her.

"I'll get everything he knows about the Akatsuki out of him. But since he'll be a high-risk, S-Rank prisoner of Konoha that's ill.." trailing off with a far away look in her eyes, the woman frowned to herself. "There may be a few more things that he can do for the future of this village."

"What do you mean?" Naruto blurted out.

Anko, with all her inappropriate and yet legal knowledge while she lacked a lot of morals and in Naruto's opinion common sense, answered the question despite her obvious disgust. "Who knows, we might be able to get some sperm out of him and can cut out the middle man of crappy unstable missing nin to restart the Uchiha Clan or he can be tested on and be our little guinea pig with that illness of his so other actual good people don't die or suffer too much of it. Up to the council and Hokage to decide, and up to whoever wants to get all their hands dirty with that shit."

Disgusted and yet explained that it was completely legal, as several of his human rights were stripped of him as an international criminal, the Fifth Hokage pointed out that she must see the benefits of it if she wanted to be a successful Hokage herself. It left Naruto standing there conflicted with dread and unease, questioning on if she should care that any of that could happen to a man who killed his entire clan and left his youngest sibling to suffer. He had harmed so many people, being the real monster that she used to be accused of just for holding a prisoner in her stomach.

For the time being, the Uzumaki was left to remain in the village for her safety and to help with the dealings of Sasuke when needed after he woke up. She had a good idea on how boring it would be, but the aspect of more training and practicing of her wind affinity sounded wonderful. Rereading the book Asuma: Master of Kindness again, she came with even more ideas based on him and his enemies.

With some digging on the book and how old it was, she could only figure that Asuma Sarutobi was named after him. It was like a little circle she was running in, she'd laugh to herself about.

She truly knew that Kagami would be impressed with her training and the jutsu she had created based off the one of few books she enjoyed though.

While Sakura was uncomfortable with answering her questions about crush, love, and virginity, the Uzumaki pretended that she never caught the long side glances that began afterwards.

Sure, Jiraiya somewhat knew about him and Sakura knew that she had met _someone_, but they didn't meet him or speak to him. He was her secret, in a way. Having grown up as the scapegoat of what happened during the Kyuubi attack, even though she wanted the village's approval and to become their Hokage, he was something that the village could not touch or speak about in any manner. Nobody could ruin what she thought of him or felt for him when they had spent their limited time together.

She was hurt, of course. Still hurting.

She ached to go back in time, to fix whatever she did to scare him off. Despite being far away from her village where the negative stigma and reputation followed her, he still disappeared on her when she was willing to put in the effort to see him again.

He wasn't like Sasuke, where she could hunt him down and make him see reason, because what reason was there? Not everyone will fall in love with you just because you fell for them, and the jinchuurki knew that for a fact. Though she was sure she didn't love Sakura like that at the end of the day, the rejection over the years had shown the exact downside of it not being returned even though they were now friends.

Summoning her clones, she finally decided on the name of her new jutsu.

"Wind embrace!"

* * *

_Posted: 03/09/2019_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Drug in me is You**

The disappointment in his chest was strong at the realization that he was awakening to life. Strapped down to the bed with metal cuffs across his wrists and multiple leather belts across his body including his head, the discussion going on out of his view made his heart heavy with defeat and a fear of the incoming unknown.

He had failed at dying by Sasuke's hand and was at the mercy of a harsher Kage.

Though he didn't recognize the voices, he did recognize the names. Sakura and Tsunade Senju were reading off a report they must've put together of his health as a whole.

"Sakura, leave us." Only hearing Naruto's teammate leave the room, the report that had been tucked under the busty woman's arm was practically dropped on his chest. The unimpressed and demanding look left him unsettled. "Do you know what that is?"

Staring at her blankly, she didn't care that he didn't respond.

"That is your ANBU file. Do you remember what happens when you become an ANBU?"

Still uncaring as she flipped it open, papers that obviously didn't belong there were set further down on his body. Instead she flipped through the medical reports taken during his time as a member of Konoha's elite shinobi. "After passing the test, when one becomes an ANBU, you of course receive the tattoo. Connected to my personal seal as the leader and ANBU headquarters, it acts as communication and identification amongst them. Then you endure medical checks to ensure you won't self destruct or collapse, and to further identify you."

Unsure of where this was going, her honey eyes only turned into daggers at him. "I may not have been there when your mother gave birth to you boy, but I still have your chakra signature on file." Flashing him the sheet, he could barely understand the lines that made up the large box at the bottom. The seal beside it was emitting and pulsing in the familiar sensation he felt when he focused on his own however. Barely able to recall his first exam, his elemental affinities were listed underneath.

"So imagine my surprise when one day, I overhear my pupil and Naruto talking about guys. Bunch of details I didn't want to know, but it made me curious. I had to ask Jiraiya of course on who it is she met, is he apart of his spy network, or if the little gaki was creating her own. He had no clue what I was talking about, other than the guy who helped her find her affinity and was apparently talking dirty to through letters." Feeling the Hokage unlatch the belt that strapped his head firmly against the mattress, she sat down in the metal chair beside his bed.

"I sent Kakashi to figure out what was going on," grabbing the papers she threw on his legs earlier, he resisted the heavy sigh, finally knowing what was going on. "I made copies and had him return the originals. Your chakra signature was all over the originals. One of his summons even observed a _crow_ picking up her letters when she wasn't around. Why is the mass murderer of his family, part of the fucking organization hunting my gaki down, helping her _train?_"

Turning to stare at the ceiling above him and ignore her as he processed his own feelings, the exact situation he feared was coming true. Instead of letting the past die, he was being forced to either spill the details of corruption that he was sure would die from its own self-destructive methods or to endure any experimentation and torture that would come.

The control he had given himself by being in such a tight spot of the Akatsuki had been ripped away. Uncertain of it was due to his recklessness with his favorite jinchuuriki or Madara not rising to the usual opportunity to cause trouble for the last two Uchiha's and ensure he was truly dead, Itachi wished he had the motivation to fight. To run away, to put the image of being a selfish monster who wanted to further cause misery back up.

But the drugs in his system were too strong.

"You choosing silence doesn't bring you closer to a death sentence, it brings you closer to becoming my experiment. I know about your illness."

The woman once afraid of blood and death had overcome it. He knew it was because of a certain Uzumaki. Making his heart ache as he wondered if Sasuke was truly back in the village and if Naruto was delighted or not about it, he tried not to think of her again. Knowing the Hokage was channeling her ruthlessness, it reminded him of Orochimaru on a good day.

"A lot of people could be saved if I decide fuck all morals and do what it takes. Don't worry, before that, you'll get some pleasure."

Blinking once immediately caught her attention at the suggestion. "Do you really think we'd let the Sharingan die out with you or that brat Sasuke? Even if we couldn't convince him to rejoin the village peacefully, as long as he was captured with his junk functioning, he will be useful. Did you _expect_ me to be as nice as Hurizen-sensei with criminals?"

Two folded pieces of paper had came out of her pocket and she waved it around. "This is a list of women I had already drawn up who would have no problem becoming surrogates, some that wouldn't mind raising the spawns themselves and some that are interested in adopting the babies from the surrogates. Your illness is not hereditary though it may act as if sometimes. Do you want to know who is all on it? I personally chose them for your offspring."

Not waiting as she unfolded them, he knew she was getting satisfaction at his discomfort. Being the world's best doctor and a kunoichi that survived two wars, psychology was on the top of studies that she was good for, though she never used any of the wisdom on herself. The drugs in his system made it easier for her to know what would dig under his skin.

"Kurenai Yuhi, Yasumi Hatsu, Akari Kaya, Megumi Mei, Harue Fumi, Ichigo Anzu, and Naruto Uzumaki!"

Without his permission, his expression twitched in surprise.

"I bet you want to know that story of how Naruto ended up on this list, hm? Well, considering her brush of death against Kakuzu and the twisted realization that she may never find a lover thanks to her jinchuuriki status, the only person she wanted to settle with obviously unable to, she had pursued on my students insistence, to find other alternatives if she wanted to create her family. She was evaluated on my request, to see if it was something she really wanted and if she'd be capable to join any list for it in the future and she was approved, though she's not interested until she's safe from the Akatsuki, of course." Offhandedly explaining it as she looked over the other, she whistled lowly.

"Wow, I never looked it over until now, but Naruto has amazing genes. My other student Shizune took the initutive to run some other tests on her, and whatever child she has will inherit her quick regeneration, massive chakra reserves, and long life levity! Imagine having a _loyal_ Uchiha with all that."

"Are you done?" He asked, trying to resume to staring at the ceiling. Wanting to hide away and kill his emotions further, she smacked the paper on his chest and laughed.

"No. I find this quite hilarious, actually. I normally would have thrown you to the wolves for experimentation by now but you've _fallen_ for the girl that you're supposed to capture. You've approached her and you've trained her to protect herself against you. I couldn't believe for a moment that it could be you trying to entice her to giving her life up because you never revealed your identity, you didn't hinder her training, and you didn't try to convince her that your organization was good! Your reaction to knowing she was on the list of becoming a mother through a sperm donor just gave you away." Watching her lean into his view over his body, there was a combination of emotions that she wasn't bothering to hide.

Amusement was the strongest, but suspicion was second. Some kind of twisted excitement was last however, and it was clear to him that she caught him - she knew there was something deeply wrong with his story and intentions. He wondered on if there were files left around or if she had her own suspicions.

"You didn't kill your brother, by the way. We haven't confirmed you dead nor alive with him, considering Inochi Yamanka had revealed that the last thing you had done was poke him in his forehead, like when you two were children. Which of course, makes me wonder. What are your motivations?"

Glaring at her harshly in response, knowing he had no choice until the drugs wore off but to sit there and be scrutinized, she clicked her lips and faced the door. Her order of bring him in made him freeze.

Inochi Yamanaka was a master of his clans jutsus and was still one of the top best interrogators in the T&I division for it. Able to enter ones mindscape and walk through their memories for a brief time, there were only a few exceptions that left the man incapable to do so. Being a jinchuuriki was one, split personalities another, and understandably dead individuals the last.

Warily glancing at him, the blonde almost relaxed at the explanation of the drugs in his system.

Considering if struggling would work - the drugs erasing some of the logic from him, by the time Inochi had approached his bed, it was too late.

For what felt like eternity, memories had played back with increasingly reality. Feeling as though he was experiencing the disappointment, orders, and the struggle to make the decisions himself with the very little he was given once again, his heavy breathing began as exhaustion took his hold of his body. Without any kind of medication to keep it at bay, the symptoms hit at a fast pace as he relived his memories in excruciating detail, the feeling of being drained after difficult battles sending him coughing fits and pain across his body.

He felt himself tense, his heart skip beats, and his heart ache the way it did when he was forced to relive meeting Naruto in Lightning Country once more. Watching her eyes light up, have their first kiss together, memorizing each detail about her to never forget, assisting her in her training and watching her thrive. Of writing his letters, hidden as best as he could be from his leader.

Of wishing he could say he loved her too.

Feeling the spasms of pain rock his body, the solace of reliving his time with her only temporarily distracting him from the pain of phantom experiences encouraging the disease, Itachi tried to lay as still as possible. Knowing the delayed effects of the Mangekyou's usage was the cause of the burn in his eyes, the long look Tsunade gave him at Inochi's expression made him close his eyes in defeat.

"Hokage-sama.. I don't know what to say."

"If he doesn't admit it all to me himself, you can summarize for the good parts and make it into a best seller novel for my eyes only," she announced, her voice as cold as ice. "Leave us for now."

Listening to him leave and to her sitting in the old chair once more, she sighed heavily. "I will find out one way or another, boy. Would you like to explain yourself or give another the chance to tell your story and further endanger you and those you've loved on your behalf?"

She didn't give him a choice and knowing two dangerous men wanted both Sasuke and Naruto in some form, he told her everything.

There was no window in his cell. He didn't know how much time had passed, being interrupted frequently with questions, his admittance had softened her up towards him. Given water and having her study the disease when it acted up, Itachi only began to choke up when he had explained what all happened in Lightning Country.

Before she left, his restraints were undone. Free to walk around his cell as much as he wanted, he was fed regularly. Deprived of any real food that did not go past basic nutrition, besides a small bowl of ramen every other time.

It was passive aggressive. He knew she didn't approve of his involvement and was rubbing it in. Having ramen become one of his comfort foods after their time together when he missed her the most, he knew it wasn't an instant cup. Though there was no label, he wouldn't be surprised if it was from her favorite restaurant. Each bowl was a reminder of how badly he had messed up with her though, no painless solution now. Whether he was given a chance to restart a life in Konoha or sent to return his missing nin life under new orders, Naruto would never forgive him if she knew.

It would be easier if he was killed, he figured. But it would leave the biggest two enemies of Konoha alive and without a witness to their crimes as well.

During the one other visit from Tsunade in which he had given up the exact details that he knew of ROOT and Danzo's artwork in exchange of knowing Sasuke was in Konoha, a flash of spiky white hair and red past the small door that his meals went through was no surprise. He knew that when he was asleep, ANBU were continuing the administration of drugs to keep him weak. Exactly every 24 hours on the dot he assumed, Itachi knew it was out of his system by that time and was naturally woken up by the feeling of their chakra.

But it was too late. Him escaping would do nothing but run Sasuke out of their village. If not to complete the revenge, it'd be to ask him questions on who to get revenge on properly.

With nothing to truly do to pass the time, unknowing of how much was truly passing besides the countless administrations of sedatives, Itachi made do with daydreaming of the other options he could have taken advantage of over the years. Further and further of the details he could change, it was odd wanting to go back much further than Lightning Country and change it all.

Knocked out of his imagination when the door was politely knocked on twice. Staring at the door from his place on the bed, the person knocked twice more.

Knowing he was a prisoner, he couldn't help but wonder why didn't they just barge in like Tsunade.

"Aa, can I come in?"

"You can, Kakashi."

Wearily watching as the other former ANBU captain strolled in with a take out bag, the Hatake casually kicked the door closed with his foot. Standing awkwardly though, he scratched the back of his head. "Ah, I heard some interesting things about you. Thought you could tell me over this meal."

Blankly staring at the lanky man, Kakashi shrugged and hid the bag behind him as he entered the room more.

Not knowing what to say to him, Itachi wondered on his relationship with Naruto. He could accurately Kakashi didn't care much for Sasuke after he proved to be a disappointment with defecting despite his teamwork teachings and was only putting in effort for Naruto's sake, but with the said blonde, it was almost a mystery. They were almost in the same predicament, he mused. Friends with her parents in some form, to the point where they'd be there from the start if they had survived.

Maybe it was the unrealistic daydreaming and the side effect of his sedatives that he felt a spike of possessiveness.

And he knew for sure it was the sedatives at the rise of the lone eyebrow. Settling in for a long awkward meeting, he was correct.

Beating around the bush, he heard Naruto once describe several of her teachers doing it and he could reconfirm that she was right.

Giving small nods or pointed stares in place of answers, some of the questions about the sights of the countries he's seen and who he must have battled, Itachi felt the change in the air as the topic did.

"Hmm, did you run into any familiar faces?"

Staring as blankly as he could, in a blink Kakashi was in his face. Feeling the steel against his adams apple and witnessing the normally relaxed man raise his headband. Knowing he had drawn out the battle worn and paranoid shinobi underneath with his lack of communication, the familiarity of the Mangekyou the man had summoned gave him a clue, the threat almost going over his head in the meanwhile.

"Your sacrifice to the village was incredible for one in your situation, but my students are not your key to redemption. Inochi had told me what you and Naruto had done exactly."

Focusing on his grey eye, he felt his own eyes widen slightly. Wondering on who all knew now and if she did, he knew he didn't hold the power the to read his thoughts.

"She doesn't know it was you behind a genjutsu, yet. You have not walked away from the Akatsuki clean just because you had not personally injured Konoha nins and I do not believe you are incapable of hurting her for some other greater purpose, as everything you had done to hurt Sasuke was to _help_ him in the long run." Feeling him put pressure on the blade, Itachi could only hold still. "I will personally lead the next squad to ensure your death if you hurt my student any further."

He backed away slowly, pocketing the kunai once more. Cautiously watching Kakashi's every move, Itachi wished he wasn't full of the sedatives to think and react clearly.

Wanting to scoff at the accusation and announce he never had any intentions to hurt the gorgeous blonde, he only could bow his head slightly as she ran through his mind. Figuring which student he was referring to about hurting further, he thought of all the ways he could attempt to explain to her to make it hurt less for her.

Handed the bag of take out, he gave a minuscule nod of thanks.

Understanding that it was a guise to scare him and to see the truth - the lack of restraints and the sedatives holding back any need to place up a image to hide what could be seen on his face now, the curious part of him wondered what Tsunade was planning to give Inochi permission to confess what he had seen in the older Uchiha's mind. Manually handed weak wooden chopsticks, Kakashi turned to leave the room.

Watching him leave as his mind drifted off once again, he later would be surprised that he was not awoken by another injection.

* * *

_Posted: 03/14/2019_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Sitting Pretty**

Five days have passed since Sasuke had been returned to Konoha, village security amping up. Over the few days Naruto tried looking for her teammates, finding Kakashi talking to the memorial stone, quieting himself when she approached. When she tried asking on how it went with delivering Itachi and why does he think the brother was practically committing suicide against the other, the lone grey eye darkened as he lost himself in the past.

"I'm not sure, perhaps it was the only way he could forgive himself."

It made her uneasy to see him so conflicted and knowing that they were both ANBU at one point, she wondered if they worked together.

Yamato was a mystery, anyone she asked hadn't the slightest idea on where he could be. Wondering on if it had something to do with the man who experimented on him being dead, she tried not to think too much of it and found Sai.

He had several questions and if she was a stranger to him, she would have thought he was battling something inside by the expressions he was trying to make. Sitting beside him as he painted on top the Hokage Head's, the insults of hiding a penis were gone from the conversation for once. "How did you know Sasuke-kun could be saved from his terrible choices?"

"'Cause I knew he was thinking he was doin' it for the greater good, not just himself. Itachi's a monster who hurt other people like Kakashi-sensei, not just the teme alone. Even though it meant going to our enemy.. he thought it was the faster way to get rid of him."

Pausing in the painting and turning to her blankly, she knew she must've said something that eased whatever was bothering him that much.

"I believe Sasuke-kun was doing it for himself. Only giving the excuse of doing it for others as well that may face his brother to save himself in front of others, though he wasn't completely wrong about it either."

"Pfft, teme is well, a teme, but he's not that selfish! What if he waited until after he had a kid and then what if Itachi killed his family _again_? I'm not saying it's right that he ran off to Orochimaru, but I get that it was sorta important to give the boot to his crazy brother before trying to get a girlfriend and make some more real friends 'sides me and Sakura-chan. Granny said we can spin it around if he agrees to some shit!"

The smile was creepy she pointed out, but his almost sudden packing up of tools made her wonder what did it matter to him on Sasuke's reasoning. He never knew him besides the five minutes in the hideout, but the poof he disappeared in left her wondering if Sakura knew anything.

When she found her last teammate in the hospital heading to the lab, she followed the other teen. Her mutterings of the report made no sense, other than the phrase of he should have been dead years ago and that his existence has been extremely painful. The medic-nin for once didn't care if Naruto peered at the notes she had of a technical patient, the handwriting all granny's scribble, but the disturbed look the pinkette gave the blonde made her smile sheepishly.

"Do you know if granny Tsunade is gonna continue the Uchiha clan with his sperm?"

"Of all questions, why _that_ one?"

"I dunno, he's dyin' of some illness and is goin' blind. What if it gets passed onto his kids? 'Side, granny said I gotta face this stuff and not find it so.. fucked up."

The long stare the other kunoichi gave her made her a little uncomfortable before she sighed.

"I'm not sure what Tsunade-shishou plans on doing just yet. I thought we were going to immediately begin trying to treat him, see what his system respond to. Use him to save others and then let nature run its course on him. Maybe even tell Sasuke-kun that Itachi died in the battle and keep him in the prison, but Tsunade-shishou sent me out of the room when she wanted to talk to him." Watching the medic nin tie her hair back, Naruto frowned to herself. "I haven't even seen him since then, Shishou just hands me her reported. Have you seen Sasuke yet?"

"Granny told you what we doin'? But nah, he hasn't woken up yet, Shino's bugs really did him good."

"Actually, he's been administrated some of our best sedatives, to stay docile for a full medical check up. Ino's dad was summoned to enter his mind and figure out what he's been doing the past three years, too." She mumbled, copying over information and filing the crisp papers away. "Since he didn't commit any real crimes against anyone from Konoha, she thinks she has solid proof for him to stay if he agrees to a deal."

"Besides running away to one of our biggest enemies?"

Shooting half a glare before she turned back to her week, Naruto shot Sakura a cheeky grin. "And then killing him."

Getting caught up in the technical terms and what they meant when she asked for a run down of their medical reports, especially regarding how Sasuke lost his curse mark, the blonde felt a headache coming on after being smacked with a dictionary three times. Bothering the Haruno for three days straight until the doors to the lab were slammed in her face and locked, she suddenly felt jinxed.

Leaving the hospital all together to go pick up herself some ramen before returning to training, she finished her fourth bowl when the familiar pop of a shunshin announced someone appearing behind her.

"Uzumaki-san, Sasuke has awoken."

Slapping down the ryo and running to the Headquarters, none of the ANBU would say a word to her until she reached the hallway leading to his cell.

They only knew he was awake by the shouts coming from his room, never delivering his food or opening the door to check on him. Handed a tray of food she was meant to feed him, the silence from behind the door imitated her for a moment.

_Squeak_

Darker in the room than the hallway, he squinted at her. Closing the door behind her with her foot, he was wearing an expression she had never seen before.

Mouth slightly agape, eyes wider than normal as he glared at her with suspicion and disbelief, she rested the tray on the nightstand. "Welcome back home, teme. We've missed you."

Only receiving further silence, she frowned and decided to talk about anything and everything until he spoke. "It's my turn to feed you like when were genins, ya know. Just tell me when you're hungry."

Beginning from after he left, she told him about the injuries the others received during the failed retrieval mission, of the missions she would go on to Suna to help Gaara and to a village with a glowing purple star. She told him about the adventures that the Konoha 11 would have around the village, salvaging ANBU blueprints that were stolen and how Jiraiya the Toad Sage took her under his wing and she went on a three year training trip. Telling him about the countries she visited and all the whacky people she got to meet, she was interrupted by his growling stomach.

Grinning as she patted her own, she announced to him that she was at her favorite ramen stand when she was told he woke up. Grabbing the tray and starting with the rice, she held it up close to his mouth.

Wrists shackled, restricting his movement so he couldn't touch his other hand or face, he didn't move as she waited.

Giving him a small glare back, her eyes went wide at his sudden question.

"How is your elemental training going?"

"What?"

Repeating himself firmly, she scoffed.

"How would you even know if I was doin' elemental training?"

"Do you have the wind affinity?" The boiling anger beneath his surface made her pause.

Giving him an odd look as she slowly nodded, he began glaring harshly and fighting against his chains.

Standing from the chair as she could only cautiously watch him, the door swung open when he began shouting in frustration. "What makes _you_ so special? How does he know about your affinity!?"

Practically being dragged out before she could find the words to ask what was going on, she heard his last eligible shout before he was sedated.

_"Why does my bastard brother know!?"_

She couldn't have answered that if she tried. Naruto wasn't hiding any of her abilities or training from anyone, and had been training her element for a year and thanks to her shadow clones to speed the process along, was able to create a jutsu and finish another with her progress. Even drawing up plans for another, she only knew that Akatsuki was doing their best to keep tabs on her and that Itachi must have used her to rile him up during their battle.

At a loss and not getting any answers as she waited around for a hour, Naruto ran to the Hokage tower and practically kicked down the door to Tsunade's office. "What do you know about Itachi and Sasuke's battle!?"

Flipping reports closed faster than the young blonde could dream of seeing, the older woman glared at her. Ignoring the mutter of if she could ever knock to repeat her question, a fine eyebrow was raised at her. "What does it matter?"

"'Cause I think Itachi was trying to use my affinity to piss off Sasuke!"

Her fingers became folded in front of her face in her signature move, making Naruto bounce on her heels in impatience. "Yes, the ANBU told me how that brat lost his mind at you when you were trying to feed him." Sighing as her eyes softened, the sudden turn made the Uzumaki feel uneasy. "We believe there was someone feeding Akatsuki information about you, hence why Itachi knew so much about your wind training. Do you have any theories on who could have been doing such a thing?"

Wracking her brain for a moment on everyone who had paid any attention to it, she clenched her own stomach as it suddenly dropped.

Kagami.

Feeling her mind begin to race, creating terrible scenarios after another, it was beginning to make sense to her on why he hadn't responded anymore.

"The only person who knew who isn't a Konoha ninja.. he must've been captured by the Akatsuki," she whispered, feeling her eyes lightly burn at her imagination creating the image. Of him battling it out against someone like Kisame or Itachi himself, being captured and held prisoner. Of being tortured, being forced to pour out the additional info that wasn't in her letters before losing his life.

Ignoring the sad look from Tsunade, she ignored the slow nod and ran out of the office. Reaching her apartment in a record time, she pulled out the seal that Kagami had created. Furrowing her brow and accidentally summoning the wrong toad, she still asked. "When a animal summon comes to pick a letter up, can you follow it and see where it goes?"

Knowing she could not leave the village when Sasuke just woke up and unloading it on the random toad, it agreed.

Writing a quick letter, she didn't know what exactly to say other than to ask if he was safe. Channeling chakra to the seal and setting the letter beside it on her window sill, she retreated to the opposite end of her studio apartment and sat in silence. The toad that she didn't get the name of could sense her desperation she figured, and it felt as if forever passed before the bird arrived.

Watching the toad jump to it, she chased the summons to the window and watched it fly off and out of the village.

Playing the waiting game on what would happen to Sasuke and on if Kagami was okay or not, Naruto couldn't help pulling at her pigtails. Feeling cooped up and like the days were dragging on, she didn't know what to do anymore to distract her.

* * *

_Posted: 03/18/2019_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Into the Light**

"Can I start it off with how fucked everything is?" Tsunade muttered to herself, waiting for everything to fall into place. Itachi didn't have any kind of response to that, knowing that telling her that it'd be improper would only land his skull being smashed against the wall behind him. In one of the many hidden tunnels throughout the Hokage Mountain, three simple rooms had been temporarily transformed. Two became prison cells in which one required high security and the other only the illusion of such, the third a court room.

After the injections never came, he could feel his strength and chakra return to him slowly. Based on the risen quality treatment then and her simple explanation of him and Sasuke testifying together with a cocky gleam in her eyes, he knew she had created a plan of some sort. Knowing it had to do with Danzo, he was dreading the seal of honesty that would be placed on his person at the start of the trial, but with defeat he waited for the Hokage to give him orders that never came.

When the busty blonde left his temporary cell to the makeshift court room, the false seals that were meant to prevent noise only acted as a speaker and made the sound in the room come in clearer.

He recognized the two meant to guard him. Tenzo, now known as Yamato, and Anko Mitarashi. Dressed as though they were both still ANBU, Yamato wearing the ROOT mask, the moment they entered the room, their stiff facade wore away and they mostly relaxed around him.

It worried Itachi.

Listening in, he knew who had been invited.

The two Hokage advisers, Danzo and his own silent guard arrived together. Then Sakura, Naruto, and Jiraiya together. Inochi Yamanaka was the last to arrive, the doors shutting with a final sound before being sealed shut.

He wasn't sure how it would go down, but when the discussion of how to investigate and punish started between the advisers and Danzo, disrespecting Tsunade, the sound of a breaking desk interrupted them.

"We will start this how _I_ want, as I am Hokage and therefore, the _deciding_ vote. Speaking of which, we are all here to discuss the fate of the Uchiha Clan and the actions of their members. There are only two members left however, who have both committed crimes for reasons we somewhat know. Sasuke had abandoned his village and joined one of our worse enemies, and then murdered him. He was forcibly returned back to the village by his teammates after nearly killing another missing nin. Is there anything anyone would like to add? Yes, Sakura, you may speak."

"He also was able to learn quite a bit of the jutsus and fighting styles of one of our worse enemies, bringing them back to the Leaf. Anko Mitarashi is the only other person to know of these, but she didn't learn as much as him or have an interest in passing the more useful ones down."

Ignoring Anko's scoff, the quiet mutterings of the council that steadily began in respect of her points were silenced with a fist on wood. "Is there anything else, someone would like to add on to assist in my decision? You may speak Jiraiya."

"From the stand point of their heritage and bloodline, he's not terminally ill like Itachi. Though it's not common for Itachi's disease to be passed on, there's still the chance."

"True. Inochi-san, I would like to hear your report on Sasuke now."

Suffering severe PTSD from the trauma of reliving his clans massacre and as it turns out, inappropriate contact from one of his caretakers before she retired from her nanny like job, Itachi was forced to listen on how he had damaged his younger brother. How he had became obsessive with getting revenge and rebuilding his clan, starting with murdering Itachi and finding a strong wife to settle with in Konoha. Speaking up about the bonds he had created with people and his slightly unhealthy opinion on them, the hesitation was clear in his voice when Tsunade asked on if his precious people would be safe from those unhealthy opinions.

"If they are consistent and strong, they will be."

It wasn't looking very good. Not until he had spoken up about the crimes that Sasuke had committed while underneath Orochimaru's tutelage. The worse he had done was put transformed medical monsters out of their miseries, defeating them in battle - their minds too addled by the experiments and drugs they were put under. It wasn't always what Orochimaru wanted, several of the test subjects still functioning enough where the snake sannin wanted to continue despite the pain they were in. Assisting in capture of shinobi that were already missing nins of their own villages or thugs,

He wasn't sure what he'd want to hear for his case, but when no one spoke up further in Sasuke's defense, including Naruto, she moved on.

"Now regarding the fate of Itachi Uchiha, former ANBU captain at the age of 13 who murdered the entirety of the Uchiha Clan, beside Sasuke and became a missing nin. Joining the dangerous organization, Akatsuki, soon after, he had began hunting our own kunoichi, Naruto Uzumaki. Entering the village, injuring jonin Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuhi, and Sasuke Uchiha in the process. Is there anything anyone would like to add?"

Nothing was said and not too soon after, the dreaded words were spoken. "Bring the two in, then."

Tsunade sat alone in a chair, her original desk now chunks of wood on the other side of the room. An extremely long one had replaced it and based on the style of it, it was the one the advisers had originally. Forming a large and lazy circle, he was pushed forward aggressively by Anko to walk past the guest to see Sasuke kneeling against the floor, facing the Hokage. Standing on guard, conveniently close to Danzo was Naruto's new teammate Sai, the former ROOT operative.

With a bolt to the floor, his hands practically locked together on either side of said bolt with a bar that was fed through, his dirtied hair hid his face as he refused to look anywhere beside his hands. Kakashi in his usual outfit stood tall behind him, never looking toward Itachi once.

Practically thrown to the ground, Anko and Yamato roughly bolted him to the floor as well - crouching in the view of Sasuke and the advisers, he showed no acknowledgement as they left it unlocked on one side, the acceptance of what was coming making him bow his head as low as Sasuke. He felt the seal applied to the back of his left arm and he had to hold back the heavy sigh.

"The seals placed on your arms will blink red when you lie. Sasuke Uchiha, do you admit to your crimes of abandoning your village, nearly assassinating your former teammate Naruto Uzumaki in the process, to join our enemy Orochimaru?"

The whispered yes was minuscule but she accepted it. "And is it true you yourself, killed said man?"

He could hear the smile in her voice when he said yes, the bittersweet tone not remotely being hidden. "What I am about to offer you is very generous, would you like to hear it? I'm sorry, I didn't hear that."

"Yes." The satisfactory hum she gave at the sighs of relief coming from his teammates made Itachi almost eager to know what it was.

"I will offer you full amnesty for your previous crimes committed against Konohagakure and her people, the key to your compound, a 2 year probation period before re-entering the Shinobi forces, and if you have difficulties finding a bride yourself to revive your clan, assisting you in finding durable surrogate mothers or arranging a marriage. You will hand over every piece of information regarding Orochimaru and his associates. Maps of where his labs are, descriptions of the experiments conducted, a list of his abilities that he had taught you and you've witnessed, and an agreement to teach the ones we had deemed acceptable."

The tension in the air was so thick that he almost felt difficulty breathing. "If you choose not to take my offer, I will have no choice but to imprison you until you fulfill your duty of impregnating four women as a sperm donor. Once complete, you will be executed."

Tsunade said it so nonchalantly, it was clear she didn't care what Sasuke chose. He knew at the end of the day, she had been convinced by the sweet jinchuuriki to give his brother a chance, an understandable and genuinely generous offer.

"I accept your offer. Thank you." Brief and emotionless, Itachi lifted his head to catch Sasuke staring hard at the Hokage. The sudden creaking in the chairs behind them wasn't much of a surprise, the Senju Princess giving a mixed look towards the small group. The whispered shout sent chills down his spine, hearing her voice once more taking a firm hold of his heart.

"_Hell yeah, teme! 'Bout time!_"

When it was absolutely silent again, Itachi could feel several eyes turn to him.

"Itachi Uchiha, do you admit to your crimes of massacring your clan, abandoning your village, and joining the terrorist organization Akatsuki?"

"I do."

"Do you admit to injuring Kurenai Yuhi, Kakashi Hatake, and Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yes."

"Do you admit to injuring any other Konoha citizen who did not deserve it?"

"Yes." The seal did not blink, it shone like a beacon, coating the part of the room it faced in a red light. In the direction of the advisers and Danzo, they shielded their faces from the light.

Squeezing his eyes shut at the sound of hitched breathing, he raised his head at Tsunade's overexcited and interested hum. Sasuke was staring intently at him now, his expression only showing a hint of the confused horror beneath that was filling some of the occupants in the room.

"When confronted by Konoha citizens, did you yourself injure them or was a powerful jutsu cast over someone else's form as they did it themselves?"

"I myself injured them." The red lit up the room again.

"When confronted by Konoha citizens, was it your partner or yourself that attacked the others?" The humor strong was in her voice. Leaning onto her desk with a fist into her cheek as she tried resisting a grin, the air in the room came alive with an undertone of panic.

"Myself." Red, once more.

"When you were hunting Naruto Uzumaki, were you attempting to harm her until she became docile in any form to capture?"

"Yes." The light shone again and the sound of a seat flinging backwards echoed the quiet room. In the corner of his eye, he watched Kakashi step forward and catch an angry Naruto. Covering her mouth with his gloved hand, Sakura rose from her seat and joined them in clear preparation for anything. In the other corner of his eye, Danzo had shifted in his seat. Tsunade clearly noticed it as well before she focused on Itachi once more.

"Did you plan to bring Naruto Uzumaki to your leader, at all?"

"Yes." The practical flickering of the light was starting to irritate the advisers and Danzo's eyes.

"Were you protecting Naruto Uzumaki?"

Sitting there for a moment, he resisted a heavy sigh. "..Yes," and there was no light this time.

"How interesting, huh?" Turning to the advisers as they sat there with different levels of confusion and anger, he only knew the complete understanding in Danzo's one eye was noticed by the blonde Hokage and him. "I guess that means I have to ask, Itachi, were you protecting Sasuke, too?"

"Yes."

Everyone had froze, even Kakashi had paused in his constant struggle against Naruto at the public admittance. The lack of interest in his eyes at him was clear though, and Itachi knew before the younger generation in the room what was coming.

Tsunade couldn't hold back the laugh anymore, hiding her smile behind her hand originally before she waved her hand. With sputtered pops of small clouds and Danzo blurring only to reappear, the Hokage had came well prepared. Sai, the former ROOT operative had quickly summoned ink lions to stand on guard as Yamato conjured a tight wooden hold around the old war hawk. Consuming him until only his head stuck out, the two advisers beside him had jumped up and shouted in confusion. "As I have said, we are here to discuss the fate of the Uchiha Clan. Properly, like Hurizen-sensei should have all those years ago, instead of allowing others to go behind his back and make a decision. Unfortunately, the _clan's_ fate had been decided and we only have the victims of that before us now that have made _unsavory_ choices in the aftermath."

"What do you mean, Hokage-sama?" Sakura asked, the fear in her voice evident.

"Silence. This is still a court. But to answer your question, Itachi, did Danzo summon you to his office the night of the massacre?"

"Yes."

"Did he give you the order to massacre your clan?" The room held their breath and Itachi tried to ignore the water gathering in his younger brother's eyes.

"Yes."

"Do you know why?"

"To prevent the Uchiha Clan from going through with the coup d'tact they had been planning."

The chaos that followed afterward started with an explosion. Bursting from his cocoon of wood, splinters had rained upon the group. Wordlessly running through hand signs to destroy Sai's ink lions and to throw everyone back against the walls, Itachi gripped onto his bolt and activated his sharingan. As soon as Danzo turned his back and attempted to run out of the room, his cane abandoned, snakes were summoned to follow. Having no choice but to run after him, the missing nin was joined by all those in the room, excluding Sasuke who was still properly bolted to the floor.

Reaching the exit that Danzo had tried to collapse onto them, Sai spoke up. "He's attempting to summon ROOT forces."

"They're a little busy right now, Danzo!" Tsunade shouted up to him.

The battle was quicker than what the Senju Princess had planned, she'd admit later on to him. Nine shinobi, each powerful in their own right against the corrupted war hawk, as it turned out, the kage had been busy for the past week and him joining in the battle against him only proved his true loyalty to her trusted group.

Investigating how deep Danzo was in a lot of events, she and Jiraiya had warded the makeshift court room in the Hokage monument with seals so no one could shunshin in or out and any signal would be blocked. Using a conflicted Sai as a test subject to disconnect the communication and command seals, trusted ANBU and jonin had approached ROOT quarters with the offer to come quietly and enter Konoha as her true citizens in the new version of ROOT Tsunade was leading or die as traitors.

Seals had been created by Jiraiya to nullify the one Danzo had placed himself, preventing painful punishments if ROOT was spoken of and deaths if Danzo wished.

Taking place just outside of Konoha, several citizens had witnessed the destruction the battle had brought. Unlike her teacher, the new Hokage was not soft or almost blindlessly hopeful and unlike Orochimaru, she was not needlessly cruel. Announcing to the citizens that arrived on scene, civilians and shinobi alike, she exposed some of his more recent crimes.

"He had betrayed our village! Kidnapping children from orphanages and clans, he had created an army underneath my feet called ROOT. He had raided the Uchiha clan after the massacre to plant their eyes in his body! He tried so hard to justify his actions and the missions he had sent them on, saying it'd be for the greater good of Konoha. He was in contact with Orochimaru, with Hanzo the Salamander! How was he protecting our village with them!?"

No one objected then and no one stood in the way of his execution. Instead demanding screams filled Itachi's ears, hidden behind a tree Yamato had summoned for the purpose of him staying away from the public eye as Jiraiya stood on guard in case he tried to run away. Trying to focus on preventing the bleeding from his wounds, he had purposely done his best to shield Naruto away from the twisted man despite her frustrated shouts, knowing that one of those eyes would be able to control her jailer if she was taken off guard.

The public wanted to watch Danzo suffer for what he was doing and when Inochi had brought him forward, the stolen Sharingan eyes implanted everywhere glared at the crowd, gathering horrified gasps and fueling the shouts of torture before death. It brought an unpleasant shiver up his spine, knowing that one enemy was now out of the way and that this Hokage was tired of sitting in wait. Admitting to himself that he underestimated Tsunade from her reputation as a Legendary Sucker for gambling and known for being an alcoholic, she was shaking off the dust and finishing what had been started long ago from before she had left the village.

No one noticed when Naruto and Sakura brought a bound Sasuke to the scene, besides him and Kakashi. Technically hiding from him, he watched the numerous expressions run across his face. Hurt, confusion, anger, and most importantly, loss.

Not too long after, Kakashi escorted Itachi to a new cell in the ANBU head quarters and based on the sounds and his barred window of who visited, Sasuke's wasn't too far away. The quality of treatment had risen compared to the Yangshun prison, though being able to hear and get glimpses was much more painful than receiving bowls of ramen.

He knew what was coming now.

He didn't need Tsunade and Jiraiya arriving to explain the next step, but he appreciated this heads up more compared to before. Then again, he thought bitterly, before was a test and proof to others that he was truly a loyal Konoha shinobi.

The next court would take place in front of the traditional council, made up of the democratic civilian board that assisted in updating the market and their quality of life, and the council of shinobi clan heads, Academy Director, and the jonin commander. A display of good faith and _trust_ in the public to accept his twisted actions for their greater good, and as long he was honest up front, he was to be a true Konoha citizen once more with more acceptance than her simply announcing it.

The fate of the Uchiha clan had been decided years ago by Danzo, she said. A play on words to draw him out and to give him what was due. Her offer still stood for Sasuke, his continued containment was only for his safety until they announced why the massacre happened all those years ago.

With the same procedure of the truth seal, Itachi would be questioned again. All the information he had offered about the Akatsuki of bases, future plans, and Madara would be his proof of goodwill, though that exact knowledge wouldn't be offered to the public with everything considered.

He would be forced to tell of his time from receiving the orders of the massacre to his battle with Sasuke.

"Do not leave out any important details, even if it is.. personal." Tsunade added before leaving.

Knowing she was referring to his illness and his time with Naruto, he could only close his eyes and wish for death instead.

* * *

_Posted: 04/01/2019_

_Whatcha think? _


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Ignorance Preferred **

Chosen to be one of the guards of Sasuke in the next trial to be his familiar face that he'd listen to, she visited him the next two days when she was allowed to. Sometimes with Sakura and sometimes without, but she couldn't get over everything that was going on.

Even mentioning it to him when Sakura was gone, it was the most attentive he was without speaking to anyone. "I just can't believe it ya know? I mean I remembered Danzo as a kid, he never liked me and even hit me with his cane once just 'cause I was in jiji's doorway but, _fuck_. No wonder Sai's all messed up!"

"I never woulda thought Itachi would be.. protectin' me. I wonder how the Akatsuki are takin' it, now that he's gone. Do ya think he's gonna be on their number 1 hit list?"

"I'm not sure how he knows my element.. but I guess he was doin' everything he could. If all he wanted was for you to be in Konoha, I guess tryin' to make you come back and fight me is one way, ha!"

"He kept getting in the way when we were all fightin' Danzo, was annoying as hell! But the fact that he actually fought against him and all those eyes.."

She froze in her spot when he finally spoke to her.

"I want proof that my family was going to throw a coup d'tact before I think of all the ways he was protecting anyone."

"I don't blame you," she started slowly, cautious. "They were our police force, why would they even want to overthrow the village?"

The other guard was an actual ANBU member, Cat who was silent the whole time. Escorting the two to the reserved part of the stands, they sat against the wall. The room reminded Naruto of the academy classroom, the stands raised up further by each row of seats forming an oval shape. The other side of the oval though meant for the two councils and kage was fancier and didn't go as high as the side for guests. A single chair sat with its back facing the door that the council and person being judged would come in, the guests door being against the door she was leaning on.

She could remember the last time she saw this room on accident. The Third Hokage had stayed afterwards when the sentence of a merchant that was attempting to poison civilians and shinobis was performed. He explained it a lot differently and how the final decision came down to him of course over ramen, the stress oozing down him with each step until they sat down.

Stopping herself from the painful thoughts, she decided on less painful ones.

Kagami.

_'I haven't seen the toad since he left to follow that bird. Maybe he's super far away, or he was taken care of.. no. Then the toad would be back already.'_ Waving and grinning at the rest of the Konoha 12 arriving, Termari the ambassador was even there with a scroll. Seeming to take notes on who was here, she watched the seats get filled on the other side as well. Full of important people, she recognized some of her friends parents and a few of the bossy shop owners.

When the Hokage arrived, she made a show to observe who had came to witnessed. ANBU quickly blurred into existence around the room, standing on guard as soon as she sat down.

The room silenced immediately.

"Welcome. We are here to decide on Itachi's life. As we all know, he had massacred his clan, became a missing nin, and joined the Akatsuki. I have summoned you all here and allowed specific guests to attend as with Danzo's execution and the investigation conducted, information had come to light."

The truth turned around to the ANBU being able to uncover the files regarding the massacre rather than him confessing, committed to his final task as a shinobi of Konoha with Hurizen's consent to protect the last Uchiha and the jinchuuriki from afar. Everyone who had battled against Danzo themselves knew, Sasuke informed as well to be in on their secret on the clan killer's involvement in the battle.

Itachi was led into the room by two ANBU members. Sitting gingerly in the firm chair that was bolted to the floor, shackles held his wrists and ankles down. Emotionless and sitting straight, Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about everything that was going on. This time, her first perverted sensei had not warned her to come prepared for a battle to follow and left it at that. Instead, he had gifted a small booklet of all you can eat coupons at the ramen stand and disappeared.

The truth seal was placed on the back of Itachi's arm once more in the view of the witnessing crowd, Tsunade explaining its purpose for everyone.

Rubbing her temples with a heavy sigh, the Hokage started a lot more formally than she did last time.

"Itachi Uchiha, do you admit to the crimes of massacring your clan, going rogue and joining the Akatsuki?"

"Yes, I do."

"Before going rogue, you were accused of murdering your cousin Shisui Uchiha, is that correct?"

"Yes, it is."

"Well, did you actually do it?" Staring down the man who was staring back, he shook his head.

"No. On the night of his death, Shisui had approached me with an eye missing. Danzo had attacked him with ROOT operatives in an attempt to steal his eyes, only succeeding in one. He gifted me his other eye before committing suicide. I also admit to forging his suicide note."

Naruto didn't know what to think at that, not even knowing who Shisui was, though the next bit made her stomach stair uncomfortably in disgust as the kage bitterly puckered her lips. "Shisui Uchiha's body was not found, however.. Danzo's autotopsy report shows that he had amputated his own arm, replaced it with Shisui's and then implanted that eye along with several Uchiha eyes in it. We compared it with the DNA files," she added to explain to the crowds. "Where is his other eye, assuming it's that important?"

He remained quiet until Tsunade grounded her teeth and repeated the question firmly. Wincing as her own eyes met Tsunade's, the realization became clear. "I had entrusted it to someone without her complete knowledge. She will not abuse it."

Wanting to throw up, Naruto covered her mouth as the taste of crow returned thanks to her imagination.

"Why had he trusted his eye to you and not another member of the clan?"

The man turned his head away from Tsunade and his eyes found Sasuke before he explained in depth. "The clan was angry. With Tobirama demanding the compound to be pushed to the edge of the village, the Kyuubi attack 16 years ago had destroyed the reputation of the Uchiha's. Only Hashirama Senju with his Mokuton ability and Madara Uchiha with the Sharingan could control the Kyuubi. Speculation had grown that the Uchiha's had controlled the fox, forcing it to attack the village. My father, Fugaku was the one who suggested starting a coup d'tact."

The echoed mutterings started before Tsunade slapped her open palm on her table. It was odd hearing the older crowd admit to their prejudices and suspicions of the Uchiha's like they had with her, Sasuke forming fists as he hung onto every word. "Being his son close to the Third Hokage as ANBU, he expected me to report village secrets he could take advantage of. I couldn't do it. I had made copies of Fugaku's plans and turned them to Hurizen-sama, telling him everything I could. He had spoken with his advisers and Danzo over the year. He wanted to approach peacefully whereas Danzo wanted each member who agreed to a coup d'tact publicly executed to warn others away from committing treason."

Pausing at the shuffling of papers, Tsunade had passed out yellowed notes to the council beside her. "These are the notes and letters Danzo had given to Itachi, and Danzo's notes on several of the meetings he had with Hurizen-sensei."

"Yes, though there wasn't any deadline for the coup d'tact, only resources gathering and training, Danzo had went behind Hurizen-sama's back. After Shisui's death, he began leaving me notes and letters, threatening that Sasuke would be harmed. Though innocent and not knowing about the coup, he was Fugaku's other son. He would be punished as well, if I wasn't careful."

Covering her mouth to stop herself from shouting at how unfair it was, Naruto rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Shaking in his spot, blood leaked from his palms at how hard he was squeezing his fists. Waiting until all the notes and letters were returned to the file on the Senju's desk, she nodded to the Uchiha on trial. "Why did you go through with the massacre?"

"He had given me no choice that night. Either I kill my clan, or he will kill Sasuke within that hour. My clan would not change their mind, my and Shisui's attempts to do so failing. If Sasuke was sacrificed for the clan, they would create a civil war one day in their own selfishness. Konoha would be weak and other villages would attack. Afterwards, I had approached Hurizen-sama and explained my actions before he released me to go rogue. Not long after, I was approached by a man claiming to be Madara Uchiha to join the Akatsuki."

Nobody moved. Shikamaru's dad, the official Jonin Commander's soft response had several of the other Shinobi in the room nodding in agreement. "He had prevented a _war_, protecting Konoha from his own family."

"Why did you traumatize Sasuke in the process? You put him under an advanced genjutsu that forced him to relive the massacre multiple times," Inochi, Ino's dad spoke up. He had agreed with Shikamaru's dad, but he was the only one who firsthand knew how deep the damage in Sasuke ran.

"I wanted him to kill me," the words were spoken so easily that she pretended not to see Sasuke's tear. "I had murdered our family and him hating me for doing so would've hid the crime they were planning to commit. He would've been able to change the reputation of the clan around with my death, rebuilding it from the ground up with healthier views, after he got rid of the criminal who had in his eyes, ruined it all the first time. It would've been less painful to die by his hands than by my illness, proving he was strong enough to survive against the Akatsuki as well."

It was horrible. The plan was horrible, the forced suffering was horrible, and Naruto was beginning to feel afraid of what else was coming.

Sakura was ordered to the floor, standing on the bottom step as she went over his medical report and the damage done from his crappy meds. He should've been dead months ago, going so far as to take the very illegal medication to keep living. "Onto the Akatsuki, then."

He joined when he was 14, recruited by a man that called himself Tobi who insisted he was Madara Uchiha and a half plant named Zetsu. He then recruited Deidara who would later help kidnap Gaara. Partnered with Orochimaru who had attempted to possess him as well until he abandoned the organization, where he was assigned Kisame Hoshigaki to begin hunting jinchuuriki, to gather all nine and to force the world to become peaceful.

"When assigned to hunt her, was it ever your intention to harm Naruto Uzumaki?"

"No, I sabotaged each attempt."

"How so?"

Explaining how he had known from his crow summon that she would be with Jiraiya out looking for Tsunade, he still entered Konoha and dragged out his battle with Kakashi and Kurenai, and when he followed her, he had casted a weaker genjutsu on the civilian woman who was meant to seduce the Toad Sannin, that'd be easy to see through. Biding his time with peaceful attempts until Gai and Sasuke appeared, he convinced Kisame to run at the sight of Jiraiya.

It was weird to her that he, a complete stranger she never met was protecting her like that. Having her own questions to ask, Tsunade moved on quickly.

"During the three years of the organization gathering resources, what were you doing?"

"I left Kisame to travel across the nations."

"Is that all?"

"Yes," he said before the seal finally flashed red. Scooting herself to the edge of her seat alongside with everyone else on what he could be hiding, he slowly blinked as he stared at the ground before him. Wondering if he forgot about the seal, Naruto was surprised at the glare Tsunade gave him.

"What else happened?"

He sat in silence for a long minute.

"Uken, Lightning Country."

Freezing, Naruto felt her stomach drop.

"I had presented myself as Kagami underneath a genjutsu to Naruto Uzumaki, who was traveling with Jiraiya. She had complaints about Jiraiya-sama's lack of teaching and I decided to help her train."

Several heads turned to her, seeing the color leave her face as she knew the horror was etched onto her face.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to throw up or cry. She wanted to scream at him, that was the only thing certain.

Suddenly she felt as though she needed a shower. _'He lied, he lied, heliedhelied,'_ began in her head, on repeat. Burying her face in her hands, tears escaped without her permission. Quickly running through every moment they had spent with each other, each letter they had sent, she only halfway paid attention to the continued interrogation. Comforted by the fact that he did not mention everything they had done together, her mantra of him lying began transforming. _'I fell for him, I had sex with him, he lied to me,'_ jerked back into reality at the feeling of a hand on her knee, she cracked a finger far enough to see a tearful Sakura staring concerned at her. Her sensei Kakashi was leaning against a wall, his lone eye watching her as Jiraiya's form visibly stiffened.

_'They know. They know what we did.'_

Paying only half attention to the rest of the trial, he admitted to having distracted Madara and Zetsu from his battle to the death against Sasuke, knowing that the squad meant to find him would rescue Sasuke from succumbing to his injuries.

The whispers between the council had quickly blown up into a large conversation as Tsunade listened in to everyone's opinion, offering reality to some of the outrageous solutions. With a bang of her fist though, everyone had silenced.

"Itachi Uchiha, your dedication to Konoha is amazing. From the shadows you have protected Konoha and her citizens in your own form that no one would have expected you to be anything but a monster. In exchange for all the information you have given regarding the Akatsuki, I am not giving you a choice. Welcome home. By tomorrow morning, every citizen will know what you have done for us. You will be put on a 1 and a half year house arrest, and then a 5 year probation with community service before reentering the shinobi work force if you like. You will undergo medical treatment under myself and my apprentices to create a cure and if you do not reproduce, you will pass over that technical Clan Head title over to your younger brother."

The silence was deafening, a ringing in Naruto's ears blending out the final questions the two councils had for the former Akatsuki member. Robotically escorting Sasuke back to his ANBU cell, their ashen faces could almost match. The curiosity he had about what had her so shocked was prevented by the arrival of Jiraiya however and she was whisked away in a poof to a training ground.

When the perverted sannin was informed of her assuming Kagami had been captured by the Akatsuki from Tsunade, he had intercepted the toad. Telling it to stay silent and not report back to her as the situation complicated, the shame and disgust pooled in her stomach and she did her best to disappear from those who knew after punching the man in the nose again.

Sakura, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kakashi, she did her best to avoid them especially. Not even visiting Ichiraku Ramen, the banging on her door one morning as Sakura and Sai loudly demanded her to come out sent her running to the one place no one would think to find her - the Forest of Death.

Taking her frustration out on the angry and massive animals, living in a small cave sent her head spinning that she wasn't sure on how much time had went by before she returned to her apartment, finally a little less guilty than before.

He had lied to her. _Well of course, he was still undercover as an evil, mass murdering lunatic._

He had pretended to be someone else. _But not completely, he just left out most details of his past._

He had helped her train. _It saved her and her friends life, being able to do wind jutsu._

Itachi had still manipulated her in the end. The fact that it was for her safety and a genuine greater good of preventing her capture and the Kyuubi from being ripped out of her stomach was almost a good one - and it was better than carrying the shame of having actually fallen in love with a _true_ criminal. Only pretending to be one before, everyone knew he wasn't now so she wasn't committing any crime.

It was 12 days since the public announcement announcement.

Sasuke and Itachi had been released to their clan compound with a trusted shinobi to watch over them, and while she wasn't sure Kakashi was the best idea ever as she could imagine him just reading his book as they battle to the death once more, she hadn't been around to question that. Returning to her original habit of hiding at a training ground or her apartment, she finally returned to Ichiraku Ramen for a meal.

She was fine with waiting to see Sasuke after his house arrest was over if it meant avoiding Itachi. Planning on returning to her apartment for an evening, she kept to the streets. Freezing at the familiar voices though, Naruto practically slithered underneath a jewelry cart and hushed the owner who rolled his eyes at the weird shinobi antics. Listening in on their conversation easily, Sakura and Ino were on a shopping trip.

"Sasuke only asks me where Naruto is when he's not fighting Itachi. Itachi just stares off into space when I'm around, but since he's always there when Sasuke is asking for Naruto, I think he wants to know too."

"What do you think happened up in Lightning Country then? And what do they even fight about anymore!? You'd think they would've tried to figure this crap out by now! My dad has been visiting and doing some kind of family therapy thing with them and he said they're making some progress."

"..I'm not sure what happened in Lightning, but since Naruto hasn't even visited once, I don't think it's good. But I don't know, Kakashi-sensei says they blow up at the small things and just end up destroying most of the house. Yamato-taicho has been visiting every other day to repair it, too."

She was irrational, she knew. Unpredictable is what Kakashi would call her, so flipping the cart over and making Ino and Sakura squak in surprise before anger, Naruto began heading to the Uchiha compound.

"Kage no bunshin!" Not needing to order the hoard on what to do, they ran off in every direction within the clan walls. Feeling one pop after a long moment, she turned right and dispersed the rest. Roof jumping until she found them, Sasuke and Itachi were out in the yard of a better maintained house than the rest. Kakashi was reading his book while Yamato whispered in concern to him on Sasuke yelling at Itachi, who was distracted by the clone's that were now popping away.

Announcing herself by her battle cry, she aimed a punch at Itachi's face.

He dodged with ease, only making her angrier. Turning and attempting to hit and kick him, he only dodged and pushed her away when she came too close. "Fight me! Fight me damnit!"

"No," he stated as he jumped backwards. Yamato's signature wood had risen to create a wall between them, only for her to point at her teachers.

"You stay out of this!"

Leaping over the wall, she was quickly pulled down to the ground by a root. Raising herself back to her knees, she ignored Kakashi's questions and created the usual 10 clones. Quickly jumping in a rough oval around her, the wall, and Itachi, her growl of frustration was hidden by the clones.

"Wind Embrace!"

The voice of embarrassment rubbed it in before anything else, practically fueling the jutsu indirectly. _'Kagami finally gets to see the jutsu we made.'_

Around her, her chakra had forced the wind around her to start swirling outward. Keeping it contained for herself, the wooden root attached to her leg swept up easily. Her clones however, with their hands pushed outwards in formation, they created a large oval shaped cyclone that peacefully hid her, her clones, and Itachi away from the group. Watching the wooden wall be swept up into the wind, she tried to gather her thoughts at the sight of him. The shouts of her two teachers only sounded like whispers being thrown around, not helping her at all.

Standing still on the other side, Itachi Uchiha stood on guard with his doujutsu inactivated but eyes slightly widened. Wearing square-wired glasses that she assumed Tsunade demanded, he was wearing a short sleeved shirt and matching standard black shinobi pants. Going shoe-less, there was no weapons pouch or anything in his pockets for that matter - the wind blowing his clothes everywhere.

Everything but his face was the same from before. His shirt being raised by her jutsu only revealed a thin scar on his stomach that went upward only proved it, the story behind it being from him joining the Third Shinobi War. Not knowing what to say, she stopped the now familiar burning in her eyes.

* * *

_Posted: 06/1/2019_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Ramen Isn't an Apology**

Itachi wasn't surprised when she disappeared after the court hearing. Listening in on Sasuke demand the pink haired doctor where Naruto was everyday, he wondered when she'd appear once again. Kakashi's casual 'I told you so' only started another subject for him and his brother to fight about however, nobody wanting to confess what they knew or suspected had happened in Uken, the destruction from the first battle summoning an irate Tsunade. "She needs time off anyways, let her use it to get a break and process this all." Referring more to him than Sasuke, he understood perfectly though Sasuke couldn't.

Inochi's visits, not ordered by anyone but brought on by the man's own curious and cautious nature, were much more helpful than continually battling it out over the littlest things escalating. Being the only one who had mind-walked through their memories and therefore knowing everything about them, Itachi surprised himself by genuinely opening up instead of sitting in silence and letting him take guesses on what the issue of the day was like Sasuke.

Opening up would allow people to heal, to know why you had done such a thing against or for them and letting them process it. It helped, even though they continued destroying their house everyday and he felt as if it had been another year since he saw Naruto. Sasuke's blame of him being the reason she wouldn't come around was accurate yet still hurtful, them not being interested in any of his graduating class visiting.

Even the quiet and shy Hyuuga Heiress had visited, serving tea silently and stuttering herself through an everyday conversation with Kakashi.

They were only interested in checking on his brother because of Naruto's determination in bringing him back, and the suspicious looks they gave him was because they wanted to know what he did to make her disappear.

He missed her, too. Not saying anything when it was hinted at by anyone, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and apologize for everything.

Yamato was kind enough to take Kakashi's order for take out frequently, ramen being rubbed into his and Sasuke's face once more, creating another hole in the kitchen. It tasted just like the kind from Yangshun Prison.

By day 12 of being released, he thought it'd take Naruto a month to come around. It certainly felt like one until her presence became overwhelming as shadow clones filled the compound only to fade just as quickly as it came. The four men group tensed up and he supposed he wasn't too surprised when she aimed to punch him in the face.

Disappointed when Yamato summoned the wooden wall between them, he was incredibly impressed when the clones had formed an unknown jutsu, facing away from him and forming an irregular oval. Thickening quickly, the wind had created a cyclone at the end of their fingertips. The shouts of Kakashi and Yamato were left ignored as he recalled the book he had gifted her.

Creating a threatening yet truly harmless wall that separated the enemies from their leader, Asuma had trapped the man and demanded to change his mind.

_'Truly inspired by the book I had gifted her,'_ he appreciated as the wooden wall began to scatter into wood chips, lethal in reality.

Golden locks in her signature pigtails, they wildly whipped all around her ominously as her blue eyes became full of what he could swear was lightning as she glared hard at him. Slowly rising from the ground, there were smudges of dirt everywhere, the faint smell of her sweat filling his nostrils. Clothes already slightly damaged as they danced with the wind, she wore her usual black shirt with small orange shorts. It was simple, plain even, yet he thought she looked beautiful.

"Do it again. Cast the genjutsu," she ordered, her voice made of steel.

"I can't," he said gently. A small look of understanding passed her eyes, him using the tone he had used as Kagami. It was simple so his voice didn't ring any bells and it only angered her. Running to him and throwing another punch that he easily dodged, she let out a scream of frustration as she almost tripped onto her knees.

"Why the hell not!?"

Warily standing away from her, he shook his head at her slowly. "When I had gifted you Shisui's eye to keep safe, I truly gave you a part of my power, the ability to see through genjutsu from the Sharingan."

"What - how is that possible? Why did you do that!? Tell me!" Springing herself at him again, he easily gripped her wrists. Twisting her body around so she was restrained against his chest as her arms were twisted across her chest, he spoke lowly into her ear.

"You had always been interesting to me, and ramen would have never made up for what I had been doing to you." Feeling her stiffen in his arms, he tightened his hold when she tried to jerk away. "I never meant to hurt you."

Letting her twist herself back out, he dodged the kick aimed for his head and back away onto the other side of her cyclone.

"Bullshit, I don't believe you! Why were ya interested in me, huh!? I'm the jinchuuriki! I'm the reason your parents planned the coup d'tact! I'm practically the reason they are _dead!_" Quickly creating more clones, they began to create one of the signature jutsu of the Fourth Hokage. Tilting his head at her as she barred her teeth at him, he wasn't surprised to see her whisker marks begin to thicken as her eyes bled into a ruby red. Feeding on the anger, the Kyuubi wanted her to hurt him. Waiting for her to lunge at him again, he activated his advanced Sharingan in time.

In a single blink, Itachi had gone from a cyclone in the courtyard of the Uchiha compound to a leaky sewer with a large cage. The large red eyes that glared into him did not inimitable him but instead the hurt and guarded expression of Naruto did with her wrapped in a cocoon of bubbling orange chakra. Approaching her and resting a hand on the bubbling surface, commanding it to quietly and quickly return to its owner, she fell to her knees as the fox released its hold on her.

"This is a power of the Sharingan, to enter ones mindscape and to control biju," he explained. "I had protected you during the battle with Danzo from this."

"Why? So _you_ could control him?" Raising to her feet and shouting in his face, he shook his head.

"No, I don't want anyone to control you." Ignoring the red eyes that glared into him behind the bars, Itachi looked the blonde in her eyes once more and the scenery melted into another space.

On orange soil that held no life for miles and miles around them, the red sky around them was filled with fluttering crows. Their soft caws relayed messages only he could understand as she twirled in circles of confusion. "Where are we!?"

"In a part of my own mindscape," he begun. "I want to prove to you that you were always interesting to me, and why I could not do more before."

Thoughtlessly recalling a random memory, a bench had appeared before the blonde. Sitting on it was his mother, tired with a younger version of himself reading the exact book - the one he would later gift Naruto - silently as she spoke with Kushina Uzumaki. Red hair spurred around her as she rubbed her slightly smaller stomach with one hand, she had untied her usual green apron and couldn't stop yawning. In the other hand, the book Tales of a Gutsy Ninja was pulled open.

"Ya know, even though she's gonna be a girl.. I still like the name Naruto."

"I am sure that as her mother, you will be teaching her to beat up those who choose to make fun of her for being named after a ramen topping."

"Pfft, what're you naming your kiddo again? Sauce?"

"Oh you already know Kushina! Sasuke! It's such a strong name. Named after Hurizen Sarutobi's father," she waved off.

"Yeah, it really isn't too bad when you mention _him_. Still makes me think of sauce," she trailed off with a smack of her lips at imagining the taste.

Shaking her head, his mother softly smiled and they stared off into the distance, this bench being at a playground and at the time being distracted by a lovely family setting up for a picnic. Unseen as he didn't deem it important for the blonde to see, Mikoto's expression turning into a teasing one as she patted the young Itachi's knee. "Wouldn't it be cute if Naruto and Sasuke fell in love, huh! Wouldn't you mind having a sister through Auntie Kushina?"

Lifting his eyes from the book, his younger self leaned forward on the bench and glanced at Kushina's stomach. "I suppose so."

Fading away until only the redhead remained, frozen on his command, Naruto sank to the ground with horrified eyes. Trembling as she hid her face in her hands, he was uncertain on if he should place a hand on her shoulder. Giving her a few silent minutes before he spoke again, he wanted her to understand. "I knew she was the previous container of the Kyuubi and understood what a noble and strong person one must be to do so, especially after witnessing the attack."

Finally releasing the memory, he summoned the next.

"Itachi! Watch over Sasuke, please.." his mother had shouted, her hands shaking with tears in her eyes as she passed a baby Sasuke into his child versions arms. Sitting on the edge of the porch, he could faintly remember how tightly he held his brother. "Kushina, I'm going to find her!" She said to Fugaku, who was busy ordering many of the Uchiha clan members who knew how to fight to head toward the beast by going around to the back, to try and draw it away from the village. Pausing, he watched his father shake his head at her, telling her it was too late.

Their compound being at the edge of the village gave them a close view of the towering Kyuubi, its eyes full of hatred as it swung its tails down to create an earthquake.

"Is that what it was like?" Eyes forward at the memory, he was thrown off guard at her quiet voice. "When the Kyuubi attacked, was it like that?"

Silently wondering what was on her mind as he clearly wasn't anymore, he changed the memory before responding. "Yes. I had overheard Kushina and my mother discussing the precautions that would be taken for your birth, how the seal would weaken with childbirth."

It was after the first day of school for Sasuke, his chatter of the events filling the room as the family of four happily finished dinner.

"- and there was this kid, she's so annoying! Pranking and being loud! I hate Naruto!"

Watching his younger self turn his head in time to catch Fugaku and Mikoto share a wary and guarded expression, his mother gave a large and false smile to Sasuke and dismissed him. Protesting for a moment for his younger self to follow, Fugaku spoke and the youngest Uchiha ran off with a pout.

"I cannot believe Hokage-sama! Does he not see the disdain we already receive for that damned Kyuubi attack!?" His father practically growled, years of frustration building up being released in his voice and on the grip of his cup.

"Perhaps he believes the two would," sighing and shaking her head as his mother didn't believer her own words, she trailed off. "Mend the villages and clan's difference..?"

Listening to Fugaku scoff at the suggestion, knowing that it was unfortunately true, he turned to his younger self who had lowered his eyes and began staring holes into his empty bowl.

"Itachi, I want you to assist your mother in spreading the news. Ensure that the clan knows to absolutely avoid her, especially now. We do not need anymore rumors, and I shall inform the ANBU that the Police Force will not be involved in cases involving her either." Respectively nodding before he began cleaning his spot at the table, Naruto had readjusted herself and stood back up once more. Keeping her back turned to him, her hands found her eyes before she faced him.

"I never knew," she started. "People said that they lost friends and family, called me names because of that night. I never knew just how.. scary it could have been. When I fought with Gaara during the Chunin Exams, he was no where near as terrifying as that. But, I never knew my mother either, only that she must've died in the attack." Carefully watching her as she took another step toward him, he expected her to try and punch him. "You knew all along, who she was. You knew what she was, what I was, and that made me interesting to you?"

"A bowl of ramen would have never made it up to you," he repeated. "Not how you were treated and not what I was doing to you as an Akatsuki member. I couldn't have acknowledged you any other way in the moment, either. You only happen to be the most unpredictable kunoichi, following a stranger to thank him for buying you ramen."

Releasing the hold he had with the Sharingan, in a blink he was back in the cyclone with her running at him. Kyuubi features melting away in a heartbeat as she stumbled in surprise, Itachi caught her in his arms. Wishing the moment could last forever with her back in his arms and not trying to escape, he had to fight the urge to kiss the top of her golden hair.

Regaining her balance and slowly stepping away, she avoided looking him in the eyes as she clenched her fists. "You still lied to me, ya know. Made me fall in love with someone who isn't _real." _

"I only avoided the details that would identify me. I never meant to hurt you," he said softly as her clones popped out of existence. Watching the cyclone disappear to reveal Kakashi watching with his arms crossed, Yamato's expression expertly blank while Sasuke, grown and scarred from the baby he had held in his memory stared with horror and confusion. Their voices thrown around by her jutsu, he had heard Naruto's words.

"What?" Too speechless to say much else, his brother's eyes went back and forth between him and the Uzumaki. Drawing her attention, the group was surprised she didn't instantly begin explaining to justify it.

Instead she sighed heavily, running her hands through her pigtails as she began walking away.

Feet dragging, aimlessly walking to and then out the gate, his brother's own expression of loss once more quickly set on anger and Kakashi stopped Yamato from interfering, following them around the compound as they began to destroy more buildings than their own. The crowd that gathered, Itachi would learn, is why he didn't see Naruto for another month.

* * *

_Posted: 7/30/2019_


End file.
